Making Doughnuts

Title: Raised Doughnuts

Description: My cousins make these doughnuts every year near Christmas (usually Christmas Eve) and deliver them to friends and neighbors. You can see them delivering donuts by bike and making them in their new aprons December 23, at www.ciresplace.blogspot.com.

My cousin said, "Our family tradition came about because on a very snowy Idaho Christmas in the late 50's or early 60's they were homebound. No one could travel to see us or we to see them. Velva announced, "We'll still have fun. Let's make doughnuts" (she actually said, 'spudnuts', which is what you would make if you were in Idaho!) So we made this delicious treat on what became a memorable Christmas Day. . . We now have friends who eagerly await their doughnuts each year."

Ingredients:
2 packages or 2 Tbsp. active dry yeast
4 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
2/3 cup powdered milk
2 cubes butter or margarine, softened
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
12 - 14 cups flour

Directions: Add warm water to mixer (I use my Bosch.) Add yeast and part of the sugar. Let sit for five minutes. Add powdered milk, butter, sugar, salt, and eggs. Mix slightly. Add three cups flour, mix together, then while mixer is on slow sped, slowly add remaining flour until dough begins to leave sides of bowl. Knead dough for 3 - 5 minutes.

Place in large bowl and let rise until finger leaves an indentionPunch down and take about 1/4 of the dough and roll 1/2 inch thick. Cut with doughnut cutter (or we have also used a drinking glass with the top of the salt shaker for the hole :) (We used a medicine measuring cup to cut the center.) Let rise until doubled. Continue cutting doughnuts adding scraps to the new dough.

Fry in deep hot oil (375 degrees F) until browned, turning just ONCE. (We used our electric fondue pots and set our temp at 325 degrees.) Test the oil with a doughnut hole to make sure temperature is right. If you try to fry too many at once, the oil cools down too fast. My cousin says they fry outside because that fried oil smell isn't the favorite in the house. Drain on paper towels. While warm, dip into glaze.

Glaze: 1 cup water to each pound of powdered sugar. Place in a deep pan and heat until dissolved. Add 1 tsp. vanilla extract and 1 tsp. mapleline flavoring. Glaze doughnuts on both sides and place on a rack over cookie sheet to drain.

Our family decided to make them last night as part of a birthday celebration and for a fun treat to eat. One of our kids said these are as good as Krispy Kreme which is saying a lot from them. My husband said they used to make doughnuts growing up too, so he enjoyed making these as well and said it's a great recipe.

We did share some of these doughnuts because this made 4 dozen and that is just too tempting for us. I'm sure we'll make them again and again. I want to thank my Arizona cousins for sharing their Christmas tradition with the rest of us. The cousins use www.myfamily.com to share recipes, photos, news and to just stay in touch between family reunions.