Homemade Glazed Donuts

Summary

In this episode of Preppy Kitchen, John Kanell shares a delightful recipe for glazed donuts. He guides viewers through the process of making the dough with milk, yeast, sugar, flour, and eggs, emphasizing the importance of yeast activation for fluffy donuts. After proving and shaping the dough, he teaches how to deep-fry the donuts to achieve a golden, crisp exterior. Finally, he demonstrates creating a thin, flavorful glaze and coating the warm donuts for a perfect finish. The video is a nostalgic throwback to homemade weekend treats, inviting viewers to indulge in the simple joy of freshly made glazed donuts.

Takeaways

• 🍩 The video features John Kanell from Preppy Kitchen making glazed donuts.
• 🥛 The ingredients include milk, active dry yeast, sugar, flour, salt, butter, eggs, vanilla, and powdered sugar for the glaze.
• 🔥 The donuts are fried, requiring oil for cooking.
• 🌡️ Milk is heated to a specific temperature of 110-115°F to activate the yeast without killing it.
• 💥 Yeast should froth within 5-10 minutes to indicate it's active; if not, the yeast is dead and the process should start over.
• 🧈 Butter is melted in the microwave to prevent 'butter explosions' and is added to the dry ingredients.
• 🥚 Two room temperature eggs are whisked into the wet ingredients for the dough.
• 🍞 The dough is kneaded until smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky, indicating it's ready for rising.
• ⏱ The dough rises for about an hour in a warm place, then is punched down and rolled out for cutting.
• 🍩 A circle cookie cutter is used to cut the dough into donut shapes, with a smaller cutter for the centers to create donut holes.
• 🔝 The cut donuts and holes are allowed a second rise for 40 minutes to achieve a light texture.
• 🍯 A simple glaze is made with powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla, and can be flavored with other extracts or zests.
• 🌡️ Oil is heated to 350°F for frying the donuts, with a thermometer used to monitor the temperature.
• 🍩 Fried donuts are golden brown and placed on a wire rack to cool and set before glazing.
• 🍯 Glazed donuts are dipped or drizzled with glaze and set to dry on a wire rack.

Q & A

What is the main dish being prepared in the Preppy Kitchen video?

The main dish being prepared is glazed donuts.

What are the essential ingredients for making the donuts according to the script?

The essential ingredients include milk, active dry yeast, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, salt, butter, eggs, vanilla, and powdered sugar for the glaze, along with oil for frying.

Why is the milk temperature important when adding yeast?

The milk temperature is crucial because if it's too hot, it can kill the yeast, which is necessary for the dough to rise properly.

What should you do if the yeast mixture does not froth after adding sugar and yeast?

If the yeast mixture does not froth, it indicates that the yeast is dead or inactive, and you should start over with fresh yeast.

Why is it recommended to cut the butter into small pieces before melting?

Cutting the butter into small pieces helps it melt evenly and prevents 'butter explosions' in the microwave due to uneven heating.

What is the purpose of the 'windowpane test' when kneading dough?

The 'windowpane test' checks the dough's elasticity. If the dough can stretch thin enough to let light through without tearing, it's ready.

How long should the dough rise before punching it down?

The dough should rise for about an hour in a warm place before being punched down.

What is the ideal thickness for rolling out the donut dough before cutting?

The ideal thickness for rolling out the donut dough is three-quarters of an inch to ensure they cook properly when fried.

What temperature should the oil be for frying the donuts?

The oil should be heated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for frying the donuts.

How does the glaze's consistency differ from traditional glazes?

The glaze in the script is thinner than traditional glazes, allowing for a drizzled effect rather than a thick coating.

What is the final step in preparing the glazed donuts after frying?

The final step is to dip the warm donuts into the glaze, allowing any excess to drip off before placing them on a wire rack to set.