French Market Doughnuts

I used to love sunday mornings when my aunt and uncle where in town. You could always count on them going into the city to pick up doughnuts. This is one of my favorite recipes as it is very versatile when doing flavor changes. they can be frosted, glazed, powdered, sugared. really anyway your personnel preferences lean. the nutmeg can also be changed to any spice you like or combination of spices. You can leave it without holes if you plan to fill them with custard or jelly. You can use regular milk or buttermilk to vary the flavor. I've even done a spicy version with mixed reviews but it was fun to try a new approach. prep time doesn't include rising time.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Yields: 36 doughnuts

Ingredients

• 1  cup milk
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄4 ounce active dry yeast
• 2  tablespoons  oil
• 2  tablespoons water
• 1  egg
• 3 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

Directions

1. scald milk, cool to lukewarm and add yeast to dissolve.
2. add oil, egg, water, nutmeg, sugar and salt blend well with spoon.
3. add flour gradually, beating well. cover and let rise in warm place until doubled in size.
4. turn dough onto floured surface, knead gently.
5. roll into 18"x12" rectangle, cut into 3'x2' rectangles. (or your favorite shape).
6. cover and let rise about 30 minutes.
7. fry only a few doughnuts at a time in hot oil (375 degrees F) until golden brown, turning to insure even cooking and browning.
8. drain on paper towels. finish with your favorite frosting or topping. best served fresh and hot.