Slovak Doughnuts
Submitted by foxie
Traditional Slovak yeast doughnuts enriched with egg yolks, butter, and a hint of lemon rind. Light, pillowy fried dough rooted in Eastern European baking traditions. Makes 36.
YIELD
36 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minThese are the kind of doughnuts that grandmothers in Bratislava have been making for generations. Rich yeast dough loaded with egg yolks and butter, scented with vanilla and a whisper of lemon zest.
The dough rises twice before getting cut and dropped into hot oil, where it puffs up into golden, pillowy rounds with the softest crumb you can imagine.
They come out light enough to eat three before you realize what happened. And you will.
Chef Tips
- Scald the milk and let it cool to lukewarm before adding the yeast. Too hot kills the yeast, too cool and it won’t activate.
- Pat the dough gently with your hands instead of rolling with a pin. Overworking it makes the doughnuts tough instead of tender.
- Keep your frying oil steady. Too hot and they’ll brown outside while staying raw in the middle. Too cool and they’ll soak up grease.
- Dust with powdered sugar while still warm, or fill with plum jam (lekvar) for the traditional Slovak finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Dissolve yeast in lukewarm milk.
Add 2 cups of flour.
Let stand in warm place 30 minutes.
Beat egg yolks, egg, sugar, vanilla, rind (grated rind of ½ lemon or ½ orange) and salt until light.
Add this to the yeast mixture.
Melt butter and mix in, then add remaining flour.
Cover and let rise one hour or until double in bulk.
When light, turn on floured board and pat with hands until dough is half an inch thick.
Cut with a doughnut cutter, cover and let rise again until light.
Drop in hot fat and fry until done.
Comments
it ROCKS THE WHOLE WORLD ROUND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!