Classic American Donuts

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make classic American donuts? Gather your ingredients. Take the butter out of the fridge ahead of time so it softens, and let the egg come to room temperature too. Sift the flour in advance to aerate it — this makes the dough light and helps it rise well. The amount of oil for deep-frying is approximate; adjust it to your pot.

2. Step 2:

   

   Warm the water until lukewarm and stir in the yeast with a spoon. Let it sit for 10 minutes to activate — it should get foamy.

3. Step 3:

   

   Crack the egg into a bowl and add the sugar and softened butter. Pour in the yeast mixture. Always wash your eggs before using them, since even a shell that looks clean can carry harmful bacteria — a food-safe wash and a brush work best.

4. Step 4:

   

   Add half the flour — 170 grams (about 1 1/3 cups). Knead the dough using a mixer fitted with dough hooks.

5. Step 5:

   

   Knead for about two minutes. No mixer? No problem — knead by hand; it just takes a little longer.

6. Step 6:

   

   Warm the milk until lukewarm and pour it into the dough. Keep kneading.

7. Step 7:

   

   Once everything is fully combined, you'll have a fairly loose, wet batter.

8. Step 8:

   

   Add the remaining flour and knead until smooth and uniform, about 5 minutes. The dough will be sticky — that's exactly how it should be.

9. Step 9:

   

   Gather it into a ball. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and set it in a warm spot to rise for an hour to an hour and a half.

10. Step 10:

    

    By now the dough will have doubled in size. Punch it down gently — it will shrink back. Pull off a small portion, about a third or a quarter; it's easier to work with in smaller batches.

11. Step 11:

    

    Lightly flour your work surface. Roll the piece of dough out to about 5/8 inch (1.5 cm) thick. It's no longer very sticky and is easy to handle.

12. Step 12:

    

    Using whatever's on hand, cut out large rounds — mine are about 3 inches (8 cm). I used a jar lid; a slim drinking glass works too. Then cut a small hole in the center — I used a bottle cap. You can also buy a dedicated donut cutter, which is much handier, but improvised tools do the trick.

13. Step 13:

    

    Choose a good pot for deep-frying — I use my trusty old heavy pot; it heats up well and holds the heat. Pour in about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of oil and heat it thoroughly. To check if the oil is ready, dip in a wooden skewer — bubbles should stream up around it. Add the donuts to the oil, but not too many at once, since they'll puff up as they fry.

14. Step 14:

    

    Fry the donuts over low heat until golden brown, flipping them a couple of times so they cook evenly.

15. Step 15:

    

    Transfer the finished donuts to a paper-towel-lined plate to absorb the excess oil. Fry the rest the same way. I cut out the next batch while one was frying. Don't toss the center cutouts — fry them at the end. I also rolled the scraps into bigger balls and fried them last, so there was zero waste.

16. Step 16:

    

    To make a sugar glaze like mine, use powdered sugar and milk. You can also use water or lemon juice for the liquid. You may need less liquid than you'd think — go by the consistency of the glaze.

17. Step 17:

    

    Add the milk to the powdered sugar a teaspoon at a time. Stir and check the consistency. For the glaze to set nicely without running off, it should be fairly thick.

18. Step 18:

    

    Spoon the glaze over each donut. Add sprinkles on top if you like, then serve. Enjoy!