Doughnuts / Donuts

I was introduced to doughnuts when I was in Germany.  Me and my children used to like the Aldi's Chocolate Glazed Doughnuts very much.  We used to buy it very often. Then I used to often wonder how do they make these soft fluffy doughnuts.  So, from then, I had always wanted to try making it at home.  But never got the guts and time, to even search for the recipe.  Recently in a TV program, I saw Chef Sanjeev Kapoor making these small round delicacies.  It seemed easy and required very less ingredients.  So then I thought of giving it a try at home.  And the result was very fantastic, much better than the store bought ones.  Since it was the first time i was trying to make Doughnuts at home, I made them using eggs and yeast.  Though when I googled for the recipe of Doughnuts there are many versions of eggless, yeastless and also baked Doughnuts.  

Ingredients

All Purpose Flour (Maida)  - 3 1/4 cup
Butter - 110 gm
Egg - 2
Active Dry Yeast - 15 gms
Milk - 3/4 cup
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Salt - 1 t.sp
Oil - For frying

Method 

1) All the above ingredients should be at room temperature.

2) Sieve the flour for about two times.

3) Add sugar and yeast to luke warm milk, and give it a stir.  Let it rest for about 5 to 10 minutes till it becomes frothy.

4) Till then beat butter till soft.  

5) Add the eggs one by one to the butter and beat.  

6) Now add the flour, frothed yeast and salt.  And mix.

7) Knead a little with you hands for some time.

8) Keep the dough in a oiled bowl and cover it.  Let the dough rest for about half an hour or till the dough has doubled in volume.

9) Once the dough has proofed, punch it down and knead again.  

10) On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a thick sheet (about 8 to 10 mm).  

11) Cut with a doughnut cutter or if you don't have a doughnut cutter, then use a big cup for the outer ring and a small bottle cap for the inner ring.

12) Place the cut doughnuts in a tray, leaving enough space in between for the doughnuts to expand.

13) Cover it and let it expand in volume.  At this stage, if you are short of time, then you may also keep it covered and leave it in the fridge, till further use.

14) If you have kept it in the fridge remove it and keep it in a warm place for about 2 to 3 hours till it has visibly doubled in volume.

15) Heat oil in a pan. To check the heat of the oil drop a small pinch of the batter in the oil,it should go down, stay there for about a few seconds and then come up and float.  This is the right temperature.

16) Put in the doughnuts and fry till golden brown on both sides. Keep flipping in between.

17) They will increase in size while frying.

18) Remove it and keep it in a tissue paper.

For the glaze

Melt the dessert chocolate using a double boiler.

Dip the doughnuts in the hot chocolate and place it in a sheet.

Let it cool down.

Store it in a air tight box and enjoy the soft