Yeast-raised Doughnuts

Yeast-raised Doughnuts
MAKES 24 DOUGHNUTS

Across the country, but especially in small towns, you're likely to
find the locals enjoying "dunkers" and coffee in the morning. "Dunkers"
to some mean yeast-raised doughnuts such as these. Either variety
may be dusted with powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, or glazed with
a variety of frostings.

1 package active dry yeast
1A cup warm water ("105°F. to 115°FJ
1A cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
l/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm
1 egg
1A cup butter, melted
3 to 3l/2 cups all-purpose flour
Hot oil for frying
Powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, or Powdered Sugar Glaze (see following recipe)

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add
the sugar and let stand 5 minutes, until the mixture becomes foamy.
Add the salt, nutmeg, milk, egg, butter, and 2 cups of flour. Beat by
hand until smooth, or use electric mixer and beat at low speed for 3
minutes until satiny. Stir in the remaining flour to form a stiff dough.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 to 11A
hours.
Dust work surface with flour. Turn dough out of bowl onto the
surface. With floured hands, pat dough out until it's smooth and an
even thickness. With rolling pin, roll out to l/2-inch thickness. Cut
with floured doughnut cutter and place on a flour-dusted cookie sheet
no in a warm place until light and doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
In a skillet or large saucepan, heat 2 to 3 inches oil to 375°F. Lift
doughnuts into the oil. Fry about 1 minute on each side or until
golden brown. Drain on paper towels. While still warm, dust with
sugar or dip in glaze.
LONG JOHNS: Roll dough out to make a l/2-inch-thick square. Cut
into 1 V2-by-4-inch rectangles. Let rise and fry as directed for doughnuts.
Frost with one of the suggested glazes.
BISMARKS: Roll dough to l/2 inch thick and cut with a 2- or 3-inch
cookie cutter (no hole in the center). Let rise and fry as directed for
doughnuts. Fit a pastry bag or cake decorating tube with a metal tip
with a 1/4inch opening. Fill bag or tube with strawberry or raspberry
jelly. Make a hole in the edge of the warm fried bismark with the tip
and force the jelly into the center of the bismark; you will be able to
squeeze about 1 tablespoon jelly into each. Dust with powdered sugar
or frost with vanilla-flavored Powdered Sugar Glaze.

Powdered Sugar Glaze
MAKES ABOUT 11/2 CUPS
There are nine different taste variations in this basic recipe. By
using water, milk, or coffee with vanilla, lemon juice, or maple extract,
you can experiment to find your favorite.

2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla or lemon juice, or l/2 teaspoon maple extract
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 to 4 tablespoons water, milk, or coffee
In a mixing bowl, blend the powdered sugar with flavoring,
butter, and liquid. Mix until smooth.
CHOCOLATE GLAZE: Add 2 ounces melted chocolate.
HONEY GLAZE: Add 2 tablespoons warm honey; omit vanilla and use
water (not milk or coffee) as the liquid.