Have you ever tried baking donuts and ended up with something that looked more like greasy marbles than fluffy clouds of sweetness? Donuts can be quite tricky – if the oil isn’t at the right temperature, they’ll be too greasy, if the dough isn’t risen enough, they’ll be tough, and if you don’t give them enough love, they won’t rise at all. But don’t worry, here’s the easiest recipe for donuts that actually work!
Donuts that always work? The secret lies in the tried-and-tested ratio of ingredients, a few tricks in preparation, and of course, in the love of good homemade pastries. You don't need advanced cooking skills - just some patience and good will. And believe me, when you bite into your first homemade donut, stuffed with your favorite filling, you'll know it was worth it. Let's get to work!
Donuts that always work
Ingredients
- 250 g doughnut flour
- 250 g wholemeal flour
- 2 sachets of dry yeast
- 5 egg yolks
- 60 g of sugar
- 2.5 dl lukewarm milk
- 1/2 dl oil
- 2 bags of vanilla sugar
- 1 tablespoon of rum
- a pinch of salt
- grated lemon peel
- oil for frying
- powdered sugar for sprinkling
- jam or cream for filling
Directions
- Prepare the dough: Mix the flour with the dry yeast. Beat the egg yolks and sugar until a light mass is formed.
- Kneading: Add lukewarm milk, oil, lemon zest, salt, rum and vanilla sugar to the flour. Finally, mix in the beaten egg yolks. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Proving: Divide the dough into balls and place them on a floured surface. Cover and let rise for 45–60 minutes, until doubled in size.
- Frying: Heat the oil to 160°C. Fry the doughnuts for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Turn them over with a spatula during frying to keep their shape.
- Finishing: Drain the donuts on a paper towel. Fill them with jam or vanilla cream. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
- Enjoyment: Serve the donuts while they are still warm and enjoy every bite!
Tricks for perfect donuts
- The milk should be lukewarm, not hot, otherwise the yeast will lose its strength.
- Knead the dough well – firm dough = beautiful, even doughnuts.
- Don't rush! Patience is key for fluffy doughnuts. The dough needs to rise really well, otherwise the doughnuts will be tough.
- The oil should not be too hot. If the doughnuts brown too quickly, the inside will be raw. If you don't have thermometer, test with a wooden spoon – if bubbles form around it, the temperature is right.
- Rum isn't just for flavor. It helps the doughnuts absorb less oil.
- Do not pierce the dough! Turn the doughnuts gently to maintain their airy structure.
