Yeast aka Raised Donuts

Donuts are the ultimate in breakfast food treats. Donuts are made two different ways. You can have cake donuts or you can make raised donuts-also known as yeast donuts.
Some bakeries sell both kind. Krispy Kreme and Dunkin Donuts specialize in the yeast kind.
My mom always made cake donuts. I prefer yeast donuts so that is what I normally make.
If you'd like cake donuts, follow the link to my recipe for those.

You will need a donut cutter. You can find them on Amazon.com if you don't have a local place to get one.
You need a rolling pin.
You will also need a deep fat fryer OR a 3 quart saucepan.
A hand mixer comes in handy for making the glaze. You can use it for the donuts, but not necessary.

Ingredients:

DONUTS-
2-1/4 teaspoons(1 packet) dry yeast
2 Tablespoons warm water
3/4 cup milk
2-1/2 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2-3/4 cups flour
2 to 3 cups cooking oil for the saucepan. You may need need more if you have a fryer.

GLAZE-
5-1/3 Tablespoons(2/3 stick) butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup hot water
To make chocolate, add 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the donuts-
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water.
In a small saucepan; add the milk, butter, sugar, and salt.
Heat over medium low until the butter just starts to melt.
Remove from the heat and add to the dissolved yeast.
At the same time, add the egg.
Stir or mix with your mixer.
Add half of the flour and beat in.
Add the rest of the flour and knead the dough until smooth.
If using a mixer and you have a dough hook, switch to that before adding the second batch of flour.
If you are using a stand mixer, it may seem like you need to add quite a bit more flour. You don't. If you do, not more than a few Tablespoon or the donuts will turn out heavy instead of light and fluffy.
Cover the bowl of dough with a towel and let rise until double. This will take 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the warmth and humidity of the room.
It is ready when you can poke the dough with your finger and the indention make stays.
Flour a work surface.
Roll the dough out to about 1/2" thick.
Dip your donut cutter into flour and cut out your donuts, rerolling the dough as needed.
If your donuts are floury, you may want to brush them off.
Cover the donuts and donut holes with a towel and let rise until double. This will take 30 to 45 minutes.
Pour the oil into the pan OR fryer and start heating it up. Set your temperature  to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/175 Celsius. To test the correct temperature when using the saucepan, try throwing a small scrap of dough in the oil. If it bubbles immediately, it is ready. If it doesn't bubble the oil will soak into the dough before the donut is cooked.
Fry the donuts 3 to 4 at a time. You can do all of the donut holes in one batch though.
Let fry 30 seconds on one side. Turn over and do the other side for 30 seconds.
Drain on paper towels.
You can shake in powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, or use a glaze.

For the glaze-
Beat the butter and powdered sugar.
Add the vanilla and hot water. Mix until smooth.
To make chocolate glaze, stir in the chocolate chips until smooth.

Dip the tops of the holes and donuts into the glaze.

Serve and enjoy!

Makes 12- 15 donuts plus the same amount of donut holes.

For other flavored glazes, try using other flavored chips.
You can also make the dough the night before and refrigerate. It will slowly do it's first rise overnight. Take out and let stand about 15 minutes and than finish making them.
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Last year's Y- Yorkshire Pudding