Yeast Doughnuts - October Daring Bakers

The October 2010 Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Lori of Butter Me Up. Lori chose to challenge DBers to make doughnuts. She used several sources for her recipes including Alton Brown, Nancy Silverton, Kate Neumann and Epicurious.

Mmmmm....doughnuts. I automatically think of Homer Simpson. I used to call homemade marshmallows "pillows of heaven," but after making doughnuts, I may have to reattribute the title. These doughnuts were so soft, they practically melt in your mouth. Not in the sugary Krispy Kreme way. In a much better way.

I went with the Alton Brown recipe for yeast doughnuts. I've seen this episode on t.v., and it has rave reviews on the website. After conquering my fear of yeast, I set aside a Saturday morning for doughnut-making. Some impish spirit hid my round cutters, so I opted for square ones. The dough rose beautifully, and frying them was a breeze. They only took about 30 seconds on each side to cook. Totally naked, the doughnuts tasted a little bland. I guess that's why they are the perfect blank canvas for fillings and toppings. I coated them with sugar, and they tasted fabulous. Like I said, "pillows of heaven." Hubs and I ate an entire half batch by ourselves.


I branched out a bit for the second batch. I made the chocolate glaze from the same "Good Eats" episode, reducing it by 1/4th. I also got some blackberry jam and filled some them with it. Deciding which flavor I liked more was the hardest. I'm just glad I got to eat both.


Yeast Doughnuts
Adapted by Alton Brown
As seen on the Food Network site (link above)

1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 c butter
2 packages instant yeast
1/3 cup warm water (95 to 105 degrees F)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tsp nutmeg
23 ounces all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting surface
Peanut or vegetable oil, for frying

Heat the milk just enough to melt the butter. Set butter in a heat-proof bowl. Pour milk over the butter and let the butter melt. Set aside and cool to lukewarm.

In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let dissolve for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, pour the yeast mixture into the large bowl of a stand mixer and add the milk and butter mixture. Add the eggs, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and half of the flour. Using the paddle attachment, combine the ingredients on low speed until flour is incorporated and then turn the speed up to medium and beat until well combined. Add the remaining flour, combining on low speed at first, and then increase the speed to medium and beat well. Change to the dough hook attachment of the mixer and beat on medium speed until the dough pulls away from the bowl and becomes smooth, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a well-oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 3/8-inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Set on floured baking sheet, cover lightly with a towel, and let rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 365 degrees F. Gently place the doughnuts into the oil, 3 to 4 at a time. Allow each doughnut to cook for a few seconds before adding another to the oil. Cook for 30 seconds per side. Transfer to a cooling rack placed in baking pan. Allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes prior to glazing, if desired.

Chocolate Glaze
Recipe by Alton Brown

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup whole milk, warmed
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 c powdered sugar, sifted


Combine butter, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla in medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until butter is melted. Decrease the heat to low, add the chocolate, and whisk until melted. Turn off heat, add the powdered sugar, and whisk until smooth. Place the mixture over a bowl of warm water and dip the doughnuts immediately. Allow glaze to set for 30 minutes before serving.