Fastnacht (Fat Tuesday Donuts)

Fat Tuesday is not complete without Fastnachts.  This tradition of making them once a year on Fat Tuesday has been passed down to me. I love making them and feel happy to be able to continue the tradition. These seem difficult but they really aren’t that hard once you make them once. These taste great and I hope you give them a try.

FASTNACHT KUECHELS (Fat Tuesday Donuts)

3 TO 4 CUPS FLOUR

1 PACKAGE DRY YEAST

½ TEASPOON SALT

¼ CUP SUGAR

1 EGG

¼ CUP COMBINED SOLID SHORTNING (CRISCO) AND BUTTER

1 AND ¾ CUP MILK

• MIX 1 ½ CUP FLOUR, DRY YEAST, SALT AND SUGAR IN A LARGE BOWL
• HEAT MILK AND 1/8 CUP BUTTER AND 1/8 CUP CRISCO, IN A SAUCE PAN UNTIL LUKE WARM, 110 DEGREES ON A CANDY THERMOMOTER IT IS NOT NECESSARY FOR CRISCO TO MELT, ADD TO DRY INGREDIENTS IN BOWL.
• BEAT IN MIXER 2 MINUTES MEDIUM SPEED.
• ADD EGG AND ½ CUP FLOUR OR ENOUGH TO MAKE THICK BATTER, recipe calls for up to a total of 4 cups, you have already added 2 so you can add up to 2 more cups.
• BEAT HIGH SPEED 2 MINUTES
• STIR IN ENOUGH FLOUR TO MAKE A SOFT DOUGH
• KNEAD LIGHTLY, ADD DOUGH TO BOWL COVER BOWL WITH KITCHEN TOWEL, LET RISE IN A WARM PLACE UNTIL DOUBLED IN BOWL, ABOUT 1 HOUR,
• PLACE DOUGH ON LIGHTLY FLOURED SURFACE KNEAD LIGHTLY, ROOL TO ½ TO ¾ INCH THICKNESS
• CUT INTO SQUARES, APPROX 3 INCHES SQUARE, LET DOUGH SIT A FEW MINUTES, ALWAYS KEEP DOUGH COVERED WITH KITCHEN TOWEL.
• HEAT OIL TO 370 DEGREES,
• FRY A FEW AT A TIME, BEFORE FRYING PULL THE DOUGH A BIT SO DOUGH IS THIN IN CENTER, BROWN AND THEN FLIP AND BROWN OTHER SIDE

DRAIN ON PAPER TOWEL, SPRINKLE WITH POWDERED SUGAR OR CINNAMON/GRANULATED SUGAR MIX, I PUT MINE IN A BAG AND SHAKE.  I also make a glaze of 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and 1 tablespoon milk, I start out with 1/2 cup confectioner sugar and add until I get the proper glaze thickness.  Dip donuts in glaze and let set on a piece of foil or wax paper.

ENJOY!

Tips: I usually double the recipe and it works great but I suggest you only roll half the dough at a time.
I make the dough at midnight the night before and then follow the steps the same it has worked great every time.  If you have any questions just ask in the comments.
One batch makes about 80. If you make them he size in photo