Doughnuts with borscht

Name: Doughnuts with borscht - Svetlana D.
Ingredients: 1kg flour 50g yeast 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup milk; approx. 200ml 200g sugar 150g oil bors approx. 300ml vanilla essence zest of 1 lemon + zest of half an orange

Dessert - Doughnuts with borscht by Svetlana D. - Recipia

When we run out of something sweet at home, I often make these doughnuts with borscht. They are made with simple ingredients, yield a lot of dough, and you don’t have to wait too long at each stage. Plus, they keep well the next day if any are left. The recipe also works for fasting if you replace the milk with water, making it quite practical. Quick info Total time: about 2 and a half hours Preparation time: around 30-40 minutes (including kneading) Rising time: 1-1.5 hours, plus another 30 minutes for shaping Frying time: 20-30 minutes Servings: 25-30 doughnuts (depending on size) Difficulty: medium Recipe type: homemade dessert, also suitable for fasting if you use water Ingredients 1 kg flour 50 g fresh yeast 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup milk (approx. 200 ml) – you can use water for the fasting version 200 g sugar 150 g oil about 300 ml borscht vanilla essence zest of 1 lemon zest of half an orange vanilla powdered sugar for dusting at the end oil for frying Preparation method 1. Warm the milk (it shouldn’t be hot, just slightly warm). Divide it into two equal bowls. In one half, dissolve the yeast, and in the other half, dissolve the sugar. Let it sit for a few minutes to activate the yeast – just until the first bubbles appear on the surface. 2. Put the flour in a large bowl. Add the salt, grated lemon and orange zest, and vanilla essence. Mix gently by hand or with a spoon. 3. Pour the yeast mixture and the sugar mixture over the flour. Start kneading and gradually add the borscht, little by little, until you have a dough that is soft enough – it shouldn’t be hard but should hold together. While incorporating the borscht, adjust as needed depending on how dry the flour is. 4. Once you’ve added the borscht, knead the dough for a few minutes. Finally, add the oil gradually, continuing to knead for at least 10 minutes until the dough becomes elastic and no longer sticks to your hands. 5. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until it doubles in size. Generally, this takes about an hour, but it may take longer if it’s cool in the kitchen. 6. After the dough has risen, turn it out onto a work surface, sprinkle a little flour, and knead gently just to release the air. 7. Tear off pieces of dough, shape them as you like (round, elongated, or flat), and place them on a floured surface. Let them rise for another 30 minutes, covered with a cloth. 8. Heat oil in a deep pot or pan over medium heat. Test with a small piece of dough – if it sizzles and rises to the surface, it’s ready. 9. Fry the doughnuts in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Fry for a few minutes on each side until they are golden and browned. Remove them to absorbent paper to drain excess oil. 10. While they are still hot, dust them with vanilla powdered sugar on all sides. They can be served warm or cold, according to preference. Why I make this recipe often The dough is easy to work with and can rise while you do other things. I find it useful that there are no special ingredients needed and I can make a fasting version if I replace the milk. The doughnuts stay soft even the next day, which doesn’t happen with all doughnut recipes. Tips and variations Tips Don’t heat the oil too much, otherwise the doughnuts will fry only on the outside and remain raw inside. If the dough seems too soft, sprinkle a little flour while shaping, but don’t add too much to avoid dense doughnuts. Use zest from untreated fruits, if possible. If you want airier doughnuts, let them rise well and at the end, after shaping. Substitutions Milk can be replaced with water for a fasting version. Borscht is the ingredient that provides tenderness; I do not recommend omitting it, but in its absence, you can try using kefir or yogurt diluted with water, though the result will not be identical. The powdered vanilla sugar at the end can be replaced with regular sugar if you don’t have anything else. Variations You can change the proportion of lemon and orange zest according to taste. If you don’t like vanilla, it can be omitted or replaced with rum. Shaping is not strict – both thicker and thinner doughnuts turn out well. Serving ideas They are good both plain and with jam or jelly, either cut or as a sandwich. They pair well with coffee or tea, but also as an afternoon snack. If they last until the next day, you can warm them slightly in the microwave or leave them at room temperature. Frequently asked questions What role does borscht play in the dough? Borscht makes the doughnuts fluffier and helps achieve an airy texture. It also gives a subtle taste, not sour, just a fresh note. Can I use dry yeast instead of fresh yeast? You can use dry yeast, about 16 g (equivalent to two packets), dissolved directly in the warm liquid. The process remains the same. If I don’t have vanilla essence, can I use something else? Yes, it can be omitted or you can add a little rum essence or any other preferred extract, or even leave it out completely. What can I fry them in to make them as light as possible? The simplest is sunflower oil. I haven’t tried other types of oil, and lard or palm oil gives a different taste. Can they be baked instead of fried? Not for this recipe. The dough is designed for frying. In the oven, they do not turn out as soft or risen. Nutritional values Estimation for 1 doughnut (out of 30 from the above quantity): approx. 170 kcal carbohydrates: 30 g fat: 5 g protein: 3 g These are approximate values, which can vary depending on how much oil they absorb while frying and how much sugar you use for dusting. It’s not a diet dessert, but one serving is enough as a snack. Storage and reheating They store quite well until the next day at room temperature, covered with a cloth or in a container with a lid to prevent drying out. I do not recommend the fridge, as the dough becomes dense. They can be reheated for a few seconds in the microwave or, if there are many, in the oven at low temperature. They are good cold too, but the most pleasant is to eat them on the day they are made.

Doughnuts with borscht

Tags

Categories