Sugary Yeasted Donuts

I love donuts, but not the type you see at the fancy American donuts shops. I always find those donuts too dense and WAAAY too sweet. My favourite type of donut is commonly found at a humble neighbourhood bread shop, a simple donut with sugar dusting. To me, a good donut have to be big, soft and fluffy. A good and even coat of caster sugar would be all that's enough to pair with it's light fluffy goodness.

In order to get that kind of fluffiness, you either cheat with baking powder or use yeast. Baking powder usually have this after taste that I really don't like. So if I'm going to make my own donuts, it has to be done using the slow proofing method with the good-ol-fashioned yeast.

Also, don't get me started on baking the donut. I always roll my eyes when I read about baked donuts. Come on lah, if you are really health conscious, don't eat donuts in the first place. Baked donuts are sad, dry and tough pieces of dough that cannot be compared with the crispy, fluffy heaven of fried donuts.

OK, enough said. I had always like to make some donuts for tea break but it is a little time consuming. One weekend I decide to plan ahead and made some in time for tea. I used Byron Talbott's recipe and it was perfect. It's everything I expected. Sugary and crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. Great recipe!

So here I am, sharing it with you.

1/2 cup milk
1 tsp dry active yeast
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups flour
4 tbsp melted butter
1 whole egg
Caster sugar for coating
TIME

1. Warm up the milk in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Stir in the sugar and yeast and let it sit for 15-20 minutes until it is frothy. 
2. Add the yeast mixture, butter and egg in the mixer and mix well. With a hook attachment, gradually add in the flour and let the mixer knead it for about 5 minutes until it is well incorporated. 
3. Put the dough in a floured surface and roll out into about 1 inch thickness. Cut it into desired shapes, I used the classic donut ring. 
4. The shape gets warped a little when you transfer from table to the pot of hot oil. To prevent this, place your cut doughs on individual parchment papers. After proofing, pick up the dough using the paper and flip it into the hot oil. If you don't mind the slightly warped shape, skip this step. 
5. Let your dough proof for about 1 hour. 
6. Fry the dough in oil at medium heat until light golden brown. Let it drip of some oil on a wire rack for half a minute before tossing it in caster sugar. 
7. Serve hot with coffee!