Insanely Easy Home-Made Glazed Doughnuts

While I research healthier recipes to post on this blog (a promise to you and to myself!), I bring you something not quite so healthy, but very simple and satisfying -- the easiest home-made glazed doughnut.  This is a recipe for a doughnut so quick and delicious that you won't believe you did it yourself! It all starts with a loaf of frozen bread dough. While partially thawed, you slice the loaf into even rounds. When the rounds are thawed through, a hole is poked in the middle and the each round is stretched into a ring. The doughnuts are then set to rise to about double their size, and then quickly fried, one side and then the other, in a small pot with about an inch/inch-and-a-half of hot canola oil. They are then drained on paper towels and finally coated with a thin confectioners sugar glaze. And eaten, yes, they are eaten!

Coming soon - I'm concocting another doughnut, without the hole, filled with pastry cream and covered in chocolate ganache -- my version of a Boston Cream Doughnut (I'll have to give them ALL away!)... Soon, I promise!

Here's the step-by-step in photos:

EASIEST HOME-MADE GLAZED DOUGHNUTS

Frozen bread dough, 1 lb. loaf
canola oil, enough to fill pot 1 to 1 1/2 inches deep*
confectioners sugar
water

Allow bread dough to thaw in refrigerator for a few hours until it is soft but still firm:

On cutting board, slice loaf into 8-12 even rounds. Place rounds on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper that's been sprayed with cooking spray. Lightly spray rounds and cover with a kitchen towel or lightly with plastic wrap:

When thawed through,  poke a hole in the center and pull dough into ring. Cover again and let rise in warm area of kitchen until doubled in size.:

In small pot on stove, heat canola oil to shimmering (med to med/high heat). Carefuly drop one doughnut into oil and cook until golden on the bottom. NOTE: This happens quickly.VERY CAREFULLY turn doughnut over and allow other side to get to the same golden color. These can get too brown in a hurry so watch carefully:

Remove cooked doughnut to a tray lined with paper towels:

Repeat with remaining doughnuts (it goes very quickly).

Place cooling doughnuts on wire rack over a piece of parchment paper. Spoon glaze evenly over tops of doughnuts.

GLAZE

1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
water

In a medium sized bowl, whisk confectioners sugar with a little bit of water, a few teaspoons at a time, until you've added enough water to make a thin glaze.  It doesn't take much, so go sparingly with the water.  When the glaze thins to a point where it coats a spoon or fork without running off too quickly, you've reached the right consistency.  Spoon over doughnuts and allow to coat completely.  Let set until the glaze has firmed up, and enjoy your own home-made doughnuts.

*Oil can be saved in an air-tight container and used again.