Hanukkah Doughnuts Recipes

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine yeast, warm water, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes.
• Place flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center; add eggs, yeast mixture, 1/4 cup sugar, butter, nutmeg, and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir until a sticky dough forms. On a well-floured work surface, knead until dough is smooth, soft, and bounces back when poked with a finger, about 8 minutes (add more flour, if necessary). Place in an oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place to rise until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch-round cutter or drinking glass, cut 20 rounds. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise 15 minutes.
• In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat oil until a deep-frying thermometer registers 370 degrees. Using a slotted spoon, carefully slip 4 rounds into oil. Fry until golden, about 40 seconds. Turn doughnuts over; fry until golden on other side, another 40 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Roll in sugar while warm. Fry all dough, and roll in sugar.
• Fill a pastry bag fitted with a #4 tip with jam. Using a wooden skewer or toothpick, make a hole in the side of each doughnut. Fit the pastry tip into a hole, pipe about 2 teaspoons jam into doughnut. Repeat with remaining doughnuts.

Steps:

• Whisk together the yeast, water and sugar, salt, oil, egg yolks, egg, vanilla and lemon extract.
• Blend well and stir in most of the flour to form a soft dough.
• Knead by hand, machine or in bread machine (dough setting), adding flour as needed.
• The dough should have some body, not too slack, supple, smooth and elastic.
• Place in a greased plastic bag and refrigerate at least 2 to 4 hours or overnight.
• If you are in a hurry, allow dough to rest at least 20 minutes, then proceed.
• If dough has risen at all, punch or flatten down, then pinch off pieces and form into small balls, about the size of golf balls.
• Otherwise, roll dough out to about three-quarters of an inch.
• Using a two and half inch or three inch biscuit cutter, cut out rounds.
• Cover and let sit 15 minutes while heating oil.
• In a deep fryer, or heavy dutch oven, heat about four inches of oil or a combination of oil and melted shortening.
• Add the doughnuts to the hot oil (temperature should be about 375 F.) and fry until the undersides are deep brown.
• Turn over once and finish frying the other side.
• Lift doughnuts out using a slotted spoon and drain well on paper towels.
• To fill, make a small opening and spoon in jam or jelly, or just sprinkle lightly with regular or extra fine granulated sugar by shaking doughnuts in a paper bag.
• Test oil temperature: It's a good idea to try frying one doughnut to start with.
• Once the doughnut seems done, take it out and cut it open to see if the inside is cooked.

Steps:

• In a heavy pot, heat oil to 350 to 375 degrees.
• Combine sugar with water and add yeast. To proof yeast, put in a warm, moist place or put a pot of boiling water in an enclosed space such as the oven or clean, empty dishwasher. This provides a draftfree warm, moist place for the yeast to prove itself active.
• While yeast proofs, heat orange juice, margarine, sugar and salt in a small pan. When lukewarm, pour into bowl and add beaten eggs and proofed yeast. Stir to mix.
• Add flour and make into a pliable dough. Knead on floured board or in bowl.
• Grease bowl and allow dough to rise in a warm, moist place for about a half hour. Punch down.
• Cut dough in strips or cut into circles. Place on greased, floured cookie sheet at least one inch apart. Return to warm, moist place to rise. (By now you should reboil water in enclosed space to provide warmth and moisture.)
• Allow to rise for 20 minutes or longer if time allows.
• Fry in preheated deep fat until nicely browned on both sides.
• Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar or cinnamon and sugar mixture. These may also be served with honey or jam or both, and may be reheated to restore freshness.