Whether puffy and raised, dense and cakey, or crisp and eggy, deep-fried doughnuts are beloved the world over. And they come in a myriad of shapes: long Mexican churros sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar, pillowy American rounds sticky with vanilla glaze, dark chocolate old-fashioned doughnut holes, puffed rectangular sopapillas drizzled with honey, or lemon-spiked Italian zeppole fritters in irregular spheres. There’s an endless assortment of shapes, sizes, flavors, toppings, fillings—each combination giving doughnuts their distinct personality. Making doughnuts at home is easier than you might think and yields the best results, since doughnuts are best fresh out of the fryer.

Raised Doughnuts

These classic American treats are light and fluffy in texture because they are made from a yeasted dough. The same dough can be used for glazed doughnuts, doughnut holes, jelly doughnuts, custard-filled doughnuts or even apple fritters and maple logs. Due to the rising time, they can take a bit more time to prepare than other doughs, but the results are well worth it. Here are some tips for working with this dough:

• If using active dry yeast, be sure to proof it in warm liquid (105 to 115°F). Anything cooler will not activate the yeast; anything warmer will kill it.


• Let the dough rise until doubled in size, then press it into the desired thickness and cut out shapes. Place shapes on a floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until puffy.


• Consider making the dough the night before. Let it rise the first time, then form it into shapes. Put the shapes on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, let the doughnuts come to room temperature for about an hour, then fry and enjoy for breakfast!

Non-Yeasted Doughnuts

These types of doughnuts are typically leavened with baking powder and/or baking soda, but can also get their lift from beaten eggs (as in the case of churros and French cruellers). They tend to have a slightly more dense, cake-like texture. This category encompasses a huge variety of doughnuts, from old-fashioned doughnuts to fritters, crullers, churros and more.

Frying

Use caution when frying doughnuts in hot oil. Make sure to set up the tools that you will need while frying. A spider or slotted spoon, long metal tongs, a heavy saucepan or pot, paper towels, and a wire rack are all good tools to have on hand.

• Choose a high heat oil (such as canola or refined peanut oil) or vegetable shortening for frying.


• Put at least 2 inches (5 cm) of oil into a heavy, wide saucepan. An enameled cast-iron pot is a good choice.


• Use a deep-fry or candy thermometer to read the temperature of the oil. Make sure to give yourself a good amount of time to let the oil come to temperature.


• Be sure to fry the doughnuts at the heat level indicated in the recipe. Too low a heat will cause doughnuts to fry too slowly, resulting in a greasy doughnut; too high a heat will cause the outside to brown too quickly before the interior is cooked through.


• Using a spider or a slotted spoon, gently lower a few doughnuts into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pot.


• Remove the doughnuts with the spider or slotted spoon, and let drain on paper towels lining a wire rack.


• Always let your oil come back to temperature before adding more doughnuts; you will likely need to adjust your heat to raise or lower the temperature of the oil.

Glazing and Decorating

• If you are glazing your doughnuts, let them cool only slightly before glazing. They will glaze best if still warm.


• This is also true if you are tossing them in granulated sugar or a spiced granulated sugar mixture.


• However, if you want to roll doughnuts (or holes) in powdered sugar, wait until they have cooled.


• If you are topping the doughnuts, be sure to sprinkle them with toppings directly after glazing or the glaze will harden and the toppings won’t stick. The options for toppings are almost endless. Consider using sprinkles, chopped toasted nuts, sweetened toasted coconut, crumbled cookies or even fresh herbs.