How many times have you wanted to make those soft, delicious sugared doughnuts at home? After many experiments and small tweaks, I finally found the perfect recipe: doughnuts soft just the right amount, to enjoy immediately… and to make again without hesitation! Now it’s your turn to try them.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Rest time: 1 Hour 40 Minutes
- Cooking time: 4 Minutes
- Portions: 20
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons, Carnival
Ingredients
- 3 1/3 cups Manitoba (high-gluten) flour
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose (00) flour
- 3 1/2 tbsp lard
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp fresh yeast (or about 1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 lemon zest
- 1 cup milk (warm)
- 1 pinch salt
- as needed granulated sugar
Tools
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutter
Preparation
In a large bowl sift the two flours and make a well. In the center add the eggs, the sugar and the grated zest of lemon or orange, and a pinch of salt.
Add the lard and the crumbled fresh yeast. Pour the warm milk in a steady stream and begin to knead with your hands, incorporating all the ingredients.
Knead vigorously until you get a smooth, homogeneous dough ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness of about 3/8 inch (1 cm).
With a glass or a round cutter of about 2 3/8 inches (6 cm) cut out the doughnuts, creating the central hole with a bottle cap. Place them on a floured surface, cover with a kitchen towel and let rise again for 30–40 minutes at a room temperature of at least 72°F.
Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot. Immerse the doughnuts a few at a time (max 2 at once) and fry them 2 minutes per side, until golden.
Drain them with a slotted spoon onto paper towels and, while still hot, roll them in granulated sugar.
Tip: if they brown too quickly on the outside but remain raw inside, the oil is too hot. Add a little cold oil to lower the temperature.
Tips and storage
It’s best to eat them the same day to enjoy perfect flavor and softness.
You can substitute lard with the same amount of butter.
