Soft leavened dough, apricot or strawberry jam, and a light dusting of powdered sugar make homemade doughnuts that are beautifully fluffy, fragrant, and fried to a golden brown. They are perfect with coffee, for breakfast, or as a sweet treat for the whole family.
The key to success is thorough kneading, enough time for rising, and oil heated precisely to 170°C. A splash of rum helps limit excessive oil absorption. You can fill the doughnuts with any jam you like, or bake them in the oven instead of frying.
What You’ll Need
For the leavened dough:
- 500 g plain flour,
- 50 g sugar,
- 50 g softened butter,
- 3 egg yolks,
- 30 g fresh yeast or 7 g dry yeast,
- 250 ml warm milk,
- 2 tablespoons rum,
- 1 packet vanilla sugar,
- a pinch of salt,
- a little grated lemon zest.
For frying and finishing:
- oil for frying – canola or sunflower oil,
- jam for filling – apricot, strawberry, or to taste,
- powdered sugar for dusting.
Step-by-Step Preparation:
1. Preparing the starter: Crumble the fresh yeast into lukewarm milk, add a teaspoon of sugar and a tablespoon of flour from the measured amount. Mix everything together and let it sit in a warm place for 5–10 minutes, until bubbles appear on the surface.
2. Mixing the ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the remaining flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, a pinch of salt, and a little grated lemon zest. Add the egg yolks, softened butter, rum, and the risen starter.
3. Kneading the dough: Work the ingredients into a smooth, non-sticky dough. Knead for at least 10 minutes, so the dough is elastic and the doughnuts will have a soft, fluffy crumb after frying.
4. First rise: Leave the kneaded dough in the bowl and cover it with a clean tea towel. Let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until it doubles in volume.
5. Shaping the doughnuts: Cut the risen dough into equal pieces, each weighing about 50 g. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and place it on a lightly floured surface.
6. Second rise: Cover the shaped doughnuts with a tea towel to prevent the surface from drying out. Let them rise for another 30 minutes. This step ensures they will be light and fluffy after frying.
7. Heating the oil: In a sufficiently deep pot, heat canola or sunflower oil to 170°C. Do not use a higher temperature, as the doughnuts may brown too quickly on the outside but remain raw inside.
8. Frying: Place the doughnuts into the hot oil and fry for 2 minutes on one side. Then turn them over and fry for another 2 minutes until golden brown. Let the finished pieces drain on paper towels.
9. Filling with jam: Let the fried doughnuts cool. Fill a piping bag with apricot, strawberry, or any jam you like, and carefully fill each doughnut using a narrow nozzle.
10. Finishing: Lightly dust the filled doughnuts with powdered sugar and serve. Their soft crumb, golden surface, and fruity filling will stand out best when served fresh.
How to Maintain the Right Oil Temperature
The oil should be at 170°C when frying. If it is too hot, the surface of the doughnuts will darken quickly while the inside remains raw. The rum added to the dough also helps prevent the doughnuts from absorbing too much oil.
Fry the doughnuts in batches so the pot is not overcrowded and the oil temperature does not drop significantly. Fry each side for exactly 2 minutes and drain the finished pieces on paper towels.
Why Knead the Dough Thoroughly and Let It Rise Twice
Kneading for at least ten minutes helps create an elastic and smooth dough. The first rise takes about 1 hour, during which the dough doubles in volume. After shaping, the doughnuts need another 30 minutes so they are truly light and fluffy after frying.
Final Tip
If you don’t want to fry the doughnuts, you can also bake them in the oven at 180°C for about 15 minutes. Apricot, strawberry, or any favorite jam is suitable for filling. Finally, just dust them with powdered sugar.
