These old fashioned crispy round donuts are delicious and you can adjust the recipe according to the number of your serving. Start by adding lukewarm milk into a mixing bowl then sprinkle yeat on top and in about 4 to 5 minutes, little bubbles will start to form on the surface then add the eggs, lemon zest, sugar, and salt, flour and butter. Place the bowl on a stand mixer with the hook attachment and knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until it forms a smooth lightly tacky dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If for some reason your dough is too wet, just add some flour a teaspoon at a time until it reaches the proper consistency.

You can also make this dough by hand, using a large mixing bowl, the kneading process by hand should take about 15 to 20 minutes. Once the dough is kneaded, place the dough on your work surface and lightly work on the dough to form a nice compact ball, your surface should be dry and flour-free because at this ping the tackiness of the dough will help you with the step. Once you have made a round ball, place it into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a plastic wrap then let the dough proof for about an hour to an hour and a half until it doubles in size.

At this point depending on what you may want to fill, the donuts with, you can use the time of the dough proofing to make the filling. The filling can either be vanilla bean pastry cream or just a simple chocolate ganache by melting some chocolate with butter over a double boiler. Once your dough has proofed, take a pastry cutter and divide the dough into equal size portions depending on how big or small you want them to be.

Take a piece of your portioned dough and just roll it in a circular motion between the flat work surface and the palm of your hand until a compact ball is formed then place the doughnut balls into a parchment paper-lined and floured baking tray and cover with aplastic fil and let the dough rise again until doubled in size. This should take about an hour. Heat your frying oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and once your little doughnuts have doubled in size, add them one by one into the hot oil. A good tip here is do not overcrowd the frying pot, fry the doughnuts in manageable batches.

When the doughnuts are golden brown, place them on a wire rack to cool slightly, the total cooking time of these doughnuts is about 4 minutes. Dust these doughnuts with some cinnamon and sugar, ist best to do this while they are still warm because the mixture will stick to the outside of the doughnuts better. Finally, fill these balls with any filling of your choice and enjoy them. If you dint have any filling these doughnuts will still be delicious the way they are.

Ingredients;

  • 1/2 cup (130ml) Milk
  • 1 tsp/4g Dry Yeast
  • Eggs – 1 each + 1 yolk/75g total weight
  • Lemon Zest – from 1 lemon
  • Granulated Sugar – 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp/20g
  • Kosher Salt – 1/2 tsp/5g
  • 2 Cups (2 Tbsp/285g) All-purpose flour
  • 14g/.5oz Butter
  • Frying Oil (enough to fill the pot halfway)

Cinnamon Sugar Mix;

  • Ground Cinnamon – 1 tsp
  • Granulated Sugar – 2 Cups

Vanilla Pastry Cream;

  • Sugar – 100 grams (1/2 cup)
  • Vanilla Bean – 1 each
  • 1 1/2 Cup (12 fl. oz.) Milk
  • 33 grams (1/4 cup) Cornstarch
  • Egg Yolks – 3 each
  • 1/2 Cup Milk
  • 14 grams (1 tbsp) Cold Butter

Instructions;

  1. Add lukewarm milk to a mixing bowl and sprinkle your yeast on top. In 4 to 5 minutes little bubbles will start to form on the surface. Once this happens add your eggs, lemon zest, sugar, salt, flour, and butter.
  2. Knead the ingredients for 10 minutes or until they form a smooth, tacky dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
  3. Turn the dough onto a flat surface. Use both hands to work it into a nice compact ball.
  4. Once you formed a ball, place it in a lightly greased bowl covered with plastic film. Let the dough rest for an hour to an hour and a half or until it’s doubled in size.
  5. Use a pastry cutter or knife to cut chunks of dough equal to the calculated weight. Work it in a circular motion between the flat work surface and the palm of your hand until a compact ball is formed.
  6. Place each donut on a parchment paper-lined and flowered sheet tray, then cover them with plastic film. Let the dough rise again until doubled in size.
  7. Place the frying oil into an appropriate size pot and heat it to 350 degrees. Once your little donuts have doubled in size add them one-by-one to the hot oil and fry them for about 4 minutes until golden brown.
  8. Dust the doughnuts with some cinnamon and sugar then fill with your favorite filling and serve.