glazed and sugar donuts

We eat donuts once a year on Halloween as part of family tradition. We used to get Krispy Kreme donuts when we lived in Utah and California, but there's no Krispy Kreme in Minnesota! So I looked and looked for donut recipes. The ones I had were all cake-like, so when I found this recipe, I was thrilled. It turned out really good and both my husband and daughter LOVED it. But we made double the recipe, so we had too many donuts and had some for dinner!

Ingredients: 

[Makes 12 good size donuts]

Active dry yeast - 1 envelope (0.25 ounce or 2 and 1/4 tsp)
Warm water - 2 TBS
Lukewarm milk - 3/4 cup
White sugar - 1/4 cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Egg - 1
Shortening - 3 TBS
All-purpose flour - 2 and 1/2 cups

Vegetable oil for frying

[Glaze]
Butter - 1/3 cup
Confectioners' sugar - 2 cups
Vanilla - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Hot water - 3~4 TBS (as needed)

Prep:

1. Measure all ingredients. Set it aside. 
2. Warm milk in a pot until it's warm, about 1 minute.
3. Combine flour and salt together. 

Cook:

1. In a bowl, combine yeast and warm water. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it bubbles. It won't bubble if the water is too hot. 
2. Add shortening, sugar and half of flour mixture. Using dough mixture, knead for a minute or two. 
3. Add in egg, rest of flour and rest of milk and knead for 8-10 minutes on slower speed. 
4. Meanwhile, grease separate bowl with olive oil. When the dough is done, make one big bowl and put it in the greased bowl. Cover with kitchen towel and put in the warm place for about an hour until the size double.
5. Punch gently down a little bit. Separate the dough in 12 parts. Roll each dough into 1 inch diameter and about 5-inch in length. Take two ends and make a ring. Set it down on a flour surface.
6. Repeat for the rest of the dough. Cover with wet paper towel and place them in warm place and let it rise for second time for 30-45 minutes. 
7. [Glaze] While you are waiting for the donuts to rise, make the glaze. Melt the butter in a pot. Remove from heat and add in vanilla and confectioner's sugar. Add in 1 TBS of water. Mix well. Add in rest of water (1 TBS at a time) and keep mixing until it thickens.
8. Use 4 or 5 quart pot. Fill half the pot with vegetable oil. If you have thermometer, heat to 350 F. If you don't, wait for 8-10 minutes under medium heat. 
9. Fry raised donuts for 2 minutes on one side and flip for another 2 minutes. 
10. Take it out on paper towel-ed plate or wire rack. 

After 2n rise. Use your fingers to make the hole bigger before frying

Deep fry until golden brown

Serve:

1. While it's hot, glaze the donut (one side or all over)
2. If you prefer sugar donuts, roll the donuts in white sugar. 
3. If you want chocolate glazed, heat 2 TBS of shortening and 2/3 cup of chocolate chips. Heat in microwave for about a minute. Mix well and glaze the donuts. 

Sugar donuts, chocolate glaze (with and w/o walnuts)