Amish Style Homemade Donuts
I have eaten a lot of donuts in my time, but one of the best came from a little food stand near Kidron, Ohio, right in the heart of Amish country. It was tender and fluffy, but it still had enough substance to make it feel like a real homemade donut.
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I set out to recreate that same texture at home, and the secret turned out to be using two different kinds of flour. Bread flour gives these donuts a little structure and chew, while cake flour keeps them soft and tender. Put the two together, and you have some mighty fine Amish-style homemade donuts.
Proof the Yeast
Combine warm milk and water with the yeast and a little sugar. The liquid should be between 110 and 115 degrees F. Let the mixture rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
When the yeast becomes frothy and bubbly, you know it is alive and ready to go. If nothing happens, check the date on your yeast and start over with a fresh package.
Mix in cooled melted butter, sugar, salt, and a room-temperature egg. Begin folding in equal amounts of bread flour and cake flour, adding only a little at a time.
Do not dump all the flour in at once. You want the dough to pull away from the bowl while remaining slightly sticky.
Tip: Check the expiration date on your yeast before beginning.
Knead and Let the Dough Rise
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it for at least 5 minutes. If you can give it 8 to 10 minutes, that is even better.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
Roll the dough a little thicker than ½ inch. Cut out the donuts using a donut cutter, biscuit cutter, drinking glass, or whatever you have handy. Press straight down without twisting. Twisting the cutter can seal the edges and keep the donuts from rising properly.
Cover the cut donuts and let them rise for another 45 minutes.
Tip: Press the donut cutter straight down without twisting.
Fry The Donuts
Heat peanut oil or another high-temperature frying oil to 350 degrees F.
Carefully place the donuts in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Lightly splashing hot oil over the top can help them puff up even more.
Transfer the fried donuts to a wire rack and let the excess oil drain.
Tip: Keep the frying oil as close to 350 degrees F as possible.
Finish them with a traditional vanilla glaze or a thick chocolate frosting. You can choose one, but around our place, we recommend making some of each.
These Amish-style homemade donuts are tender, fluffy, and worth every minute it takes to make them. Get the family involved, use what you have, and enjoy a homemade treat that is mighty hard to beat.
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