As an expat living in Prague, there are foods I crave for that I have no choice but to either make or forget about.  Take for example glazed doughnuts.  A doughnut is not a doughnut for me unless it’s round, with hole, glazed, and maybe sometimes decorated –something that I probably have to scour the entire Czech Republic to find on my lucky day.  Beats me why there is the glaring absence of Dunkin Donuts in this country.  Not that it’s my favorite but it serves its purpose when you crave for good ol’ doughnuts on a cold winter day.

This craving went around almost my entire circle of expat friends this winter.  One of them finally baked some few weeks ago.  Her photos on Facebook went viral among us.  She sent us the recipe and one by one we got bitten by the doughnut bug. I finally succumbed to it last Sunday and baked my first doughnuts ever.

I adjusted the recipe in terms of measurement and as to what’s available in my kitchen, making it an easy one to follow especially if you live in the Czech Republic.

Warning:  This recipe yields around 25 pieces.  Make sure you have people to eat them with or hello there, bigger size you!

INGREDIENTS FOR THE DOUGH:

• 2 packs of dry yeast*
• ¼ cup or 50 ml warm water *
• 150 ml warm milk
• 50 grams sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 100 grams butter, room temperature
• 500 grams all-purpose flour ( I used “Hladká” flour, to be specific.)

FOR THE GLAZE:

• 125 grams butter
• 200 grams confectioners’ sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 or  4 tablespoons hot water or as needed

* I use this yeast which is available in most stores here in Prague, and this is the cup I use for measuring. Just your average coffee cup that does the work. 🙂

DIRECTIONS FOR THE GLAZE:

1.  Melt butter in a pot or a saucepan on low to medium heat.

2.  Stir in sugar and vanilla extract.  Mix till well-blended.

3.  Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of hot water or till glaze is thin but not runny.  Set aside.

FOR THE DOUGHNUTS:

1.  Pour the warm water in your mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast and let stand for 5 minutes.

2.  Mix in milk, sugar, salt, butter, eggs, and 200 grams of the flour. Mix at low-speed for a few minutes. Beat in or stir with a wooden spoon the remaining flour, about 50 grams at a time (you don’t really have to be specific) until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl.

3. Put dough in a floured surface or board and knead till it is elastic.  You can add flour if it’s too sticky.

4.  Transfer dough in a bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let stand for an hour.

5.  After an hour, punch dough gently to release air and flatten it to about half an inch thick on a floured board using a rolling pin.

6.  Use a doughnut cutter for a perfect round shape but if you’re like me who doesn’t own one, use a tea-cup for the job and a juice lid for the hole.  Let stand for another 30 minutes covered with a kitchen towel.

7.  Fry doughnuts in  hot oil.  Turn as they bob on the surface or as they turn brown.  Make sure to have lots of oil so they are deep-fried.  Pat off oil from each doughnut using a paper towel.  Let cool.

8.  Glaze and decorate.  I shredded white and dark chocolates  for decoration.  You can also just use sprinkles.  They are available in the supermarkets everywhere.

It’s time to call some people to help you eat your doughnuts.  “Dobrou chut’!,” as the Czechs say.