Ponchiki (Russian donuts)

By Angel Seldon

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, marg, or shortening
  
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 1/2 cups flour

Directions:

1. Melt butter in pan or microwave and let cool a bit so as to not cook the eggs.
2. Whisk together eggs and sugar. Whisk in melted butter.
   
3. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water
   
4. While yeast is dissolving, dissolve salt in 1 cup warm water.
   
5. Add the yeast water and salt water to egg mixture. Mix well.
   
6. Add 3 cups flour, then continue to add flour until soft but rollable, about 4 1/2 cups. Too much flour will make the dough tougher and dryer.
   
7. Let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 1-2 hours). Punch down and roll out, or save covered in refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
8. Cut out in circles several inches in diameter. Cut a hole in the middle or each circle (this makes it easier to avoid a doughy center after cooking).
9. Let donuts rise until double again.
   
10. Heat oil, 1/2 inch deep, in a pan on medium heat. Test some dough to make sure it doesn't brown too fast or too slow.
11. Cover in powdered sugar (shaking them in a bag of powdered sugar works well). Coat donuts while warm to get a glaze or cool to get a light powder coating.
    

Note: these donuts (without the powdered sugar) are not very sweet, similar to fry bread.

Variations:

• Chocolate donuts (Becca): Increase sugar to 2/3 cup. Add 2/3 cup of cocoa powder to egg mixture. After coating with powdered sugar, spread chocolate fudge frosting on top and sprinkle with sprinkles. You do not need to wait for donuts to cool to add frosting.

• Brown Sugar glazed donuts (Teila Rowley): Melt 1 tbsp butter in saucepan; add about 1 cup of brown sugar. Add 1/4-1/2 cup sour cream. Bring to boil for 1 minute. Coat donuts with mixture instead of powdered sugar (step 11).