Homemade Glazed Doughnuts

Years ago I used to work in a bakery...which is where I "gained" my love for all the "finer things in life", like blueberry turnovers, cream cheese danishes, cake frosting and DOUGHNUTS (actually, I fell in love with these sinful treats years prior to this job...but during the 2 years that I worked there my LOVE defiantly intensified )! I ate my share of doughnuts and pastries and loved everyone of them...BUT since I quit working there I don't eat them very often (rarely if ever, just because I know what will happen if I start....)...BUT pastries remain one of my favorite "sinful" foods...doughnuts being one of those at the top of my list. Last week I got an itch to make doughnuts. I remember my mom making them when I was little and they were SUPERB, but they seemed to take a LONG time to make (maybe that was because I wanted to EAT one so bad) so I sort of talked myself out of it...but then I changed my mind and decided to just jump right in and DO IT anyway...what did I have to lose but an afternoon of cleaning...and doughnuts sounded better than clean laundry anyway. I'm happy to say, I didn't regret my "doughnut making" day one bit...but I was SHOCKED to say the least, that they didn't take hardly any time to make. From start to finish it was about 2 1/2 hours...which is pretty darn good!

YOU have to make these, you will love them!!!

Homemade Glazed Doughnuts

3 T. dry active yeast

1/2 c. warm water

3 c. warm milk (I heat mine in the microwave for 2-3 minutes)

1 c. sugar

2 t. salt

4 eggs

2/3 c. shortening

10 c. flour

Oil for frying

Glaze:

2/3 c. butter

4 c. powdered sugar

3 t. vanilla

6-8 T hot water or as needed

Sprinkle yeast over the warm water and let stand for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, mix together the yeast mixture, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and 2 c. flour. Mix for 2 minutes. Pour in remaining flour 1/2 c. at a time, until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Knead for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover with a HOT damp towel (or plastic wrap...if doing this, spray dough with pan coating before placing plastic wrap over the it). Dough is ready when you touch it and the indention remains.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface, and gently roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. cut with a floured doughnut cutter (or use the mouth of a cup and something smaller to cut the center hole). Place doughnuts on cookie sheets that have been sprayed with pan coating. Let doughnuts rise again until double. Cover loosely with wax paper.

For Glaze:

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in HOT water one tablespoon at a time until glaze is thin but NOT watery. Set aside.

Heat oil in a deep fryer or large heavy skillet (I used my electric frying pan). Slide doughnuts into hot oil using a wide spatula. Turn doughnuts over as they rise to the surface. Fry doughnuts on each side until golden brown. Remove from oil to drain on a wire rack. Dip doughnuts into glaze while still hot and set onto a wire rack to drain of excess.

*I doubled the glaze because it wasn't enough to do all of my doughnuts. I personally don't like my glazed doughnuts to be COVERED in glaze so I just dip the top...but do it how you like them. Also, I don't have a wire rack (I know, a sin for any cook right?!) so I placed them on a baking sheet that was covered with paper towels, it worked.

Hope you enjoy!

Julie~