Homemade Doughnuts

Last week we started reading through the Robert McCloskey books. I actually checked out a treasury from the library, even though we own ...Ducklings and Blueberries... The idea of reading through all his books came from the Real Learning booklist. What fun we've had. Last week we read The Doughnuts from Homer Price. And tell me how we could read that story without positively needing to make homemade doughnuts. I was thinking about it throughout the entire story and then sprung it on the kids at the end. The "hoorays" and "awesomes" were loud and clear. Out came the yeast and hot milk, flour and sugar. The recipe is from my sister-in-law and chances are my dear mother-in-law made these when the kids were young.

Raised Doughnuts

2 cups scalded milk
1 cup water, lukewarm
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening, melted
2 eggs, beaten
2 pkg. dry yeast
7-9 cups flour

Mix as usual for yeast bread. Let rise for 1 1/2 hours. Punch down, let rise for a half hour. Roll out 1/3" thick. Cut with doughnut cutter. Let rise for a half hour. Fry in deep fat at 350 degrees. Drain on paper bags. Place in container with granulated sugar and shake. I make up 3 small paper bags with white sugar, cinnamon sugar and powdered sugar. Then shake when warm, but not hot.

Grace makes up the paper bags of sugar while I fry doughnuts.

I like to use an electric fry pan because temperature can be easily regulated.

A blurry picture of the first of many homemade doughnuts made that day. Taking into account the warm doughnuts eaten we came up with a total of 117 ring doughnuts and holes made. Some went into the freezer and were brought out after church last week. All the rest were eaten almost immediately because doughnuts are best eaten fresh.