Perfect Yeast Doughnuts–Sugar, and Filled (with Jam, Nutella or Cream)

Perfect yeast doughnuts are easy to make at home if you have the right
recipe. You now have that recipe in your hands (or on your desk). What
are you waiting for?
The best recipe you’ll ever find for light and fluffy yeast doughnuts! I promise!

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp (90 ml) water
• 5 oz buttermilk (150 ml) (at room temperature)
• 1 egg, beaten (at room temperature)
• 2 oz (57 g) butter, melted
• 16 oz (454 g) all-purpose or bread flour (please us a scale)
• 2 oz (57 g) sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp (5 g) regular or quick-rise yeast (one and a 1/2 teaspoons)
• oil for frying (I use sunflower or grapeseed or a combination)
• (sugar for coating the doughnuts)
• (jam, Nutella and or whipped cream for filling, if desired)

Instructions
FOR BREAD MACHINE:

1. Place the water, buttermilk, beaten egg and melted butter in the bread machine pan, then add the dry ingredients which were weighed using a scale
   (it’s so important), except for the yeast. Make a small indentation in
   the dry ingredients, then add the yeast. Set the bread machine on the
   ‘dough’ setting.

FOR STAND MIXER WITH DOUGH HOOK, OR BY HAND:

1. Place
   the dry ingredients in a bowl. Put 6 tbsp of lukewarm water in a cup
   and sprinkle the yeast on top, set aside for about 5 minutes, until the
   yeast begins to react (you can add a pinch of sugar to help it). Make a
   well in the center of the dry ingredients, then pour in the buttermilk,
   egg, melted butter and yeast mixture. If using a stand mixer, run with
   the dough hook until a dough forms then continue for about 5 minutes. By
   hand, knead for about 10 minutes. Cover and set aside until at least
   doubled in size.

BOTH BREAD MACHINE, STAND MIXER/HAND INSTRUCTIONS FOLLOW BELOW:

1. Once
   the dough has doubled, place it on a floured surface and knead lightly.
   Divide it in half, keeping half the dough covered, so it doesn’t form a
   skin. With a rolling pin, roll out half of the dough to about 1/2″
   thickness. Cut with a round, sharp cookie cutter (about 3″ diameter)
   then make the holes with a smaller cookie cutter (about 1″ diameter),
   saving the holes. Or splurge (haha) and buy this doughnut cutter and save yourself a lot of trouble!
2. Place
   each doughnut on a piece of parchment or waxed paper, then place on a
   cookie sheet. Put the tray in the oven (turn it on for 1 minute, SET A
   TIMER, then turn it off again, just to make it barely warm).
3. Next,
   boil some water and pour it into a measuring jug. Place the jug of
   water in the oven with the tray of doughnuts (this will create steam
   will keep a skin from forming). With the remaining dough, divide into
   quarters, then divide each piece in half to make 8 equal amounts. Roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball, and place on parchment or waxed paper pieces and place on a cookie sheet; place in the oven with the other doughnuts to rise until doubled in size.
4. Heat the oil to about 350ºF (180º). If you don’t have a thermometer,
   test the oil with a doughnut hole: if it doesn’t start frying
   immediately, the oil is too cold, if the hole turns brown right away,
   the oil is too hot. Adjust the heat accordingly.
5. Drop the
   doughnuts into the hot oil using the paper to carefully lower them into
   the oil. Turn them over as soon as they become golden brown on the
   underside, and remove them and place on a paper towel lined platter once
   they are ready.
6. When the doughnuts have cooled, roll them in
   sugar to coat evenly. If you choose to fill the large doughnuts, push a
   skewer into the center of the doughnut to make a hole, then place some
   room temperature jam, or slightly warmed Nutella into a piping bag and
   pipe the filling into the doughnut. Using an ISI whipper, pipe fresh cream into a doughnut cut in half (add some jam first if you like).