Doughnuts

[Liketobake]

Does anyone have a simple recipe for doughnuts? I have always wanted to make them myself, I just need a basic recipe.

[Bake2live]

Doughnuts

* 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted before measuring
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons shortening
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 egg
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 tablespoons vinegar and enough regular milk to make 1/2 cup

Into a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Cream shortening; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg; beat well. Stir in vanilla.

Add combined vinegar and milk alternately with dry ingredients; stir just until well blended.

Roll small quantities of the dough at a time, to about 1/3-inch thick. Cut doughnuts with a 2 1/2-inch cutter and let stand for about 10 minutes. Fry in hot fat at about 365° to a nice golden brown. Turn once. Fry only 3 or 4 batches at a time to keep fat from cooling down. Drain on paper towels. Makes about 18 doughnuts.

[Liketobake]

Thanks Bake2live, I will give it a try!:)

[PigsnieLite]

Where will you get hot fat?

[Liketobake]

You heat the fat up, to make it hot..

[PigsnieLite]

Oh. Whut sort of fat do you use then? How much fat do you need to cook 10 doughnuts? Do you save the fat afterwords & mark the bottle *DOUGHNUT FAT*?

[Liketobake]

I bought a doughnut cutter today, so I'll be attempting to make doughnuts for the first time in the next couple days.

[PigsnieLite]

Tell us whut happens! And whut exactly is it about a doughnut that needs cutting? Dont you just need a glass to make the doughnut holes?

[Liketobake]

Well I finally ventured into unknown territory and made the doughnuts. I thoroughly enjoyed using the doughnut cutter, and cutting the hole out of the centre of each doughnut.

When it came to frying them, I almost had a cooking disaster. This is because I have never deep fried anything before. I used too little oil, and the oil was not hot enough. Consequently the first ones I made were slightly raw inside, but not to worry they still tasted very yummy. At that point, my dad the master chief in the house stepped in, and made the rest of the doughnuts the way they should be.

One side note on the recipe, my doughnuts almost did not rise at all, so I think more baking soda, or possibly using baking powder instead might be a good idea.

[PigsnieLite]

How much oil did you use? And whut did you do wid the oil after you finished? Ive always thought a lot of oil is wasted in deep frying. Still, deep frying is the only way one gets proper fried CHickun.

[Liketobake]

Well, when I was cooking I just used enough oil to cover the pan. However, when my dad came to save the doughnuts, he used enough oil to make the doughnuts swim in it.

After we were done we just discarded the oil. It does seem somewhat wasteful, but it served it's purpose.

[PigsnieLite]

Haf you ever thought of re-using oil? Or does used oil make food taste bad?

[Liketobake]

My dad reused oil a long time ago, but I don't remember what the food tasted like after. Have you tried it?