Homemade Doughnuts O' Plenty

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I want to introduce you to Pioneer Woman's homemade doughnuts.  Oh, you've not met?  Shame.  Let me tell you a bit about these doughnuts.  These doughnuts aren't donuts.  These are refined doughnuts and demand respect.  They're not made from a petty can or a chilled tube.  No, these are made from a real dough that works it magic overnight and awaits your tastebuds in the morning.  They are, without a doubt, the best doughnuts I have EVER eaten.  And they are relatively easy to do if you're comfortable with yeast doughs.  Some people love yeast, some people hate it.  Once you've mastered "the soak", yeast is fairly simple.  And it really does make this doughnut.  The fragrance of the freshly mixed dough was enough to make you want to eat it raw and forget about the overnight wait time.  Seriously good eats, people.

I have to say too, I've not had much luck with many of Pioneer Woman's recipes but I somehow managed to pull this one off!  I have her cookbook and I love the way everything looks but I somehow lack her touch of cooking grace or something b/c nothing ever turns out for me.  Except her Passover Brisket.  (oh, forgive me - I'm drooling)  So I was skeptical I could manage these doughnuts but they looked so dang good!  I just had to try.  You can see her step by step by clicking here if you'd like.  I know it looks like a daunting, long and hard recipe but it's not.  It's just really in depth so you don't mess up anything.  Don't be shy.  You know you wanna try these!  :)

Yes, mine are square.  Your eyes aren't deceiving you.  I couldn't find my round cutters and you want to work quick to keep the dough from drying out so I grabbed my squares.  It all frys the same!  If you do make these, a note for you.  The wet towel over top while rising IS desperately needed.  And the warm rising environment too.  I had a few that could have puffed a bit more and benefited from a few more minutes rising but the prancing pony Jon was having no more waiting.  We were frying those the moment the timer went off.  LOL

They really ARE delicious.  Crispy on the outside, chewy on the outside and so worth the effort of rolling them out and all.  We did an assembly line...I fried, he dunked in glaze and it worked well.  You really have to watch your oil though.  More than 3 frying at a time and my oil dropped too low...less than 2 and it went too high.  It is a balancing game of keeping it around 375 degrees.  And drain them puppies good!  My oil was just right enough that they fried quickly and didn't absorb much at all.  And they made a TON!  Her serving size said 18.   But we ended up with about 23 doughnuts and 22 holes (I dropped one in the sink!).  It made ALOT.  I can see where this would be great for kids dunking them in icing or adding sprinkles after they've cooled.  What a great Sunday morning activity!  I hope you enjoy these as much as we did.  Hats off to Ree...she nailed this one!

See that chewy middle?!  Mmm!

Homemade Glazed Doughnuts by Pioneer Woman

DOUGH
1-⅛ cup Whole Milk, Warm
¼ cups Sugar
2-¼ teaspoons (one Package) Instant Or Active Dry Yeast
2 whole Large Eggs, Beaten
1-¼ stick Unsalted Butter, melted
4 cups All-purpose Flour
¼ teaspoons Salt
Canola Oil

GLAZE
3 cups Powdered Sugar
½ teaspoons Salt
½ teaspoons Vanilla
½ cups Cold Water Or Milk

To Make the Dough:
1. Make sure milk is nice and warm, but not overly hot.
2. Add sugar to milk. Stir to dissolve.
3. Add yeast into a small bowl.
4. Pour milk/sugar mixture over yeast. Stir gently, then let sit for 10 minutes.
5. Melt butter in separate bowl until butter is almost melted. Stir to finish melting so butter won’t be overly hot.
6. Add beaten eggs to melted butter, stirring constantly to make sure the butter’s not too hot for the eggs.
7. Add the egg/butter mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook.
8. With the mixer on 3 or medium-low speed, pour in the yeast mixture.  Add salt.
9. Allow the dough hook to stir this mixture for a couple of minutes, making sure it’s thoroughly combined.
10. With the mixer still going, add helpings of the flour mixture in 1/4 to 1/2 cup increments until all the flour is gone.
11. Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl, then turn the mixer on the same speed for five whole minutes.
12. After five minutes, stop the mixer and scrape the bottom of the bowl.
13. Turn on the mixer for 30 seconds.
14. Turn off the mixer and allow the dough to sit in the bowl undisturbed for 10 minutes.
15. After 10 minutes, transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Toss the dough to coat, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place straight in the fridge.
16. Refrigerate dough for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

To Make the Doughnuts:
1. Remove bowl from fridge and turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface.
2. Roll out to 1/4 to 1/3-inch thickness.
3. Using a 3-inch cutter, cut as many rounds as you can, then roll out remaining dough and cut as much as you can, etc.
4. Cut holes out of each round using a 1 1/2-inch cutter.
5. Place both doughnuts and holes on a floured baking sheet.
6. Cover with large tea towel and place in a warm place in your kitchen; my kitchen is very drafty, so I have to briefly warm the griddle, then turn it off and set the sheets on top to keep warm.
7. Allow doughnuts to rise undisturbed for at least 1 hour; 1 hour 15 minutes if necessary. Doughuts should be visibly puffier and appear to be airy.

To Fry the Dougnuts
1. Heat plenty of canola oil in a large pot until the temperature reaches 375 to 380 degrees—do not let it get hotter than 380 degrees! 375 is ideal; keep the thermometer in the pan to continually monitor.
2. One to two at a time, gently grab doughnuts and ease them into the hot oil. Allow them to cook 1 minute on each side; they will brown very quickly.
3. Remove doughnuts from the oil with a slotted spoon, allowing all oil to drip off.
4. Place doughnut immediately on several layers of paper towels. Count to five, then flip it over onto a clean part of the paper towels. Count to five, then flip it over again; the purpose, obviously, is to drain as much grease as possible before it soaks into the doughnut.
5. Repeat with remaining doughnuts and holes. The holes will cook more quickly than the doughnuts; about 30 seconds per side.
6. Allow doughnuts to slightly cool.

To Glaze
1. Mix all glaze ingredients in a bowl until completely smooth.
2. One by one, dip doughnuts into the glaze until halfway submerged. (Note: completely submerge doughnut holes, then remove with slotted spoon.)
4. Remove from glaze, then turn right side up on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet (to catch dripping glaze.)
5. Serve warm if possible, or room temperature.