Donuts
Soft, fluffy homemade donuts made with a simple yeast dough and fried until golden. Whether you call them donuts or doughnuts, they're perfect coated in sugar or covered in a sticky sweet glaze.
Print Recipe
Servings: 20
INGREDIENTS
- 120 ml Milk
- 60 g Block Margarine or Butter (softened)
- 275 g Strong White Flour (Bread Flour)
- 40 g Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar)
- 7 g Easy Bake Instant Yeast (Fast-action Yeast) (usually one sachet)
- 1 Free-range Egg (see notes below)
- Oil for Frying (vegetable, rapeseed, sunflower...)
EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a small saucepan, add the milk and butter/margarine. Warm over a low heat until the butter/margarine starts to melt. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little - you don't want it to be too hot before adding to the other ingredients.
- In a large bowl, sift in the flour and sugar. Add the yeast and gently mix to combine. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients then add the milk mixture and egg. Mix together to create a soft, slightly sticky dough – you may need to use your hands!
- Once the dough has come together, tip it onto a well-floured surface and begin to knead with floured hands, adding more flour as/when needed. Knead for around 10 minutes, until you have a smooth, stretchy dough.
- Place the dough into a oiled bowl (to prevent it from sticking) and cover with an oiled piece of cling film, or a damp tea towel. Leave to rise in a draught-free location for about an hour, or until it has doubled in size.
- Once the dough has risen, knock it back and knead it lightly on a floured surface. Roll the dough to about 1cm thickness before cutting to your desired size, either with a donut cutter or two round cutters (one smaller and one larger). Place your doughnuts onto individual squares of greaseproof paper with a bit of space between them - preferably on a tray or board - and cover again with a piece of oiled cling film or a damp tea towel. Leave in a draught-free place for about an hour, until they have puffed up to about double their size.
- In a large pan, heat your oil to 180°c (350°F) - use a food thermometer for accuracy. You want your oil to be deep enough for your doughnuts to fry comfortably, without sticking to the bottom. Depending on your pan size, you may need to use more/less oil.
- Using the greaseproof paper square, lift your doughnut to the oil, and gently drop it in, exercising extreme caution. Allow the donut to fry for about 90 seconds before flipping it over, allowing the underside to fry for about 90 seconds too. Depending on the size of your pan, you should be able to fry the donuts in small batches; just be careful not to overcrowd your pan, or you risk the doughnuts sticking together and the oil dropping in temperature too quickly.
- When your doughnuts are golden brown on both sides, use a slotted spoon to remove them, holding them above the oil for about 10 seconds (to allow the oil to drip sufficiently) before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Continue until all your doughnuts are cooked, whilst continuing to monitor your oil temperature and adjusting the heat as needed.
- If you are wanting sugar coated donuts, flip them in some sugar while still warm - alternatively, if you plan to glaze them, yo also u can do this while warm, or allow them to cool completely if you plan to add an icing topping.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
All my recipes are developed using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and millilitres). Cup measurements are available as a conversion but these, unfortunately, won't always be as accurate. For best results, I always recommend baking with a digital scale.
NOTES
Egg Size:
When it comes to eggs, I always buy the Mixed-weight Free-range Eggs. Generally speaking, egg size doesn’t make a huge difference in most baking, unless you are using sizes that lean into the extremes. But with that in mind, medium-sized eggs are probably the best option if you are unsure what size eggs to use.Storage:
Homemade donuts are best enjoyed on the day they are made, when they are at their softest and freshest. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, although they may become slightly less fluffy over time.Freezing:
The cooked donuts can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow them to cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Defrost at room temperature before serving. For the best texture, freeze them before adding any sugar coating, glaze or fillings.Substitutions:
- Strong White Flour (Bread Flour): I recommend using strong white flour for the softest, fluffiest donuts. Plain flour can be used in a pinch, but the finished donuts may be slightly less light and airy.
- Milk: You can use whatever milk you prefer - full-fat, semi-skimmed, soya, oat milk... All work well when it comes to donuts.
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