Fasnacht (Raised Doughnuts)
Fasnachts are very much a tradition among the wider Pennsylvania Dutch community, so the Amish in the area have been exposed to it and taken it up.
Ingredients
To make the Sponge:
- 1 cake yeast
- 2 cups lukewarm water
- 4 scant cups sifted flour
- At night break and soak yeast in lukewarm water for 20 minutes. Mix with flour creating a thick batter. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place overnight until it has doubled in size.
To make the Dough
- ½ cup shortening
- ⅜ cup sugar
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 5 cups or more of flour
Instructions
Sponge
- At night break and soak yeast in lukewarm water for 20 minutes. Mix with flour creating a thick batter.
- Cover and allow to rise in a warm place overnight until it has doubled in size.
Dough
- In the morning cream together the shortening, sugar and salt.
- Add this to the risen sponge, along with the beaten eggs and spice.
- Stir in as much flour as the mixture will readily take.
- This should create a rather soft dough.
- Mix well.
- Let rise until dough has doubled in bulk.
- If desired, stir down and let rise again until nearly doubled.
- Turn onto a floured board. Pat or roll the dough to a thickness of ⅓ inch.
- Cut the dough with a doughnut cutter.
- Cover to prevent drying.
- Allow to rise until doubled in size. Fry at around 375 degrees F in deep hot fat.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!