Ingredients (for about 20 pieces):
1 1/4 lb flour, 1 oz yeast, 1 1/4 cup warm milk, 4 level teaspoon sugar, 2 oz rum, 4 egg yolks, 1/2 teaspoon salt, rind of 1 lemon, 2 oz butter
to stamp and deep-fry:
oil
to top:
2-3 tablespoons sugar
to serve:
10 oz apricot preserves, 1 oz apricot brandy

Sift the flour – this will aerate it as well as expedite it getting room temperature which is essential when preparing leavened dough. Crumble the yeast into the warm milk. Add 4 tablespoons of flour and 1 teaspoon of sugar, let it rise for about 15 minutes. In the meantime warm the rum a bit and – stirring – dissolve the remaining sugar in it. Pour the leftover flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the egg yolks, the yeast mixture, salt, lemon rind and rum mixture to it. Stirring with a wooden spoon, mix in the warmed milk first, then slowly the melted butter. Knead for 6-8 minutes until large air bubbles form and the dough is soft. Cover the bowl with a warm cloth and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes, until it doubles in volume. Knead it softly again and pour it on an oiled cutting board. Flatten with a pin to about 3/4” high. Using an 3” diameter round cookie cutter, stamp as many doughnuts as possible. Dip the cutter into oil before every new piece. Knead the leftover pieces into one ball again and repeat cutting. Alternately, you can fry the little triangular leftover pieces as well or use them to test the temperature of the oil when deep-frying. Line up the doughnuts on a floured board, let them rise again for 25-30 minutes in a warm place. Make a small indentation in the center of each of them – this is the side you will fry first – then carefully place them in medium hot oil. Cover the pot with a lid, and fry the doughnuts over medium heat for about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove the lid and turn the doughnuts with a fork without piercing them. Fry, uncovered, for another 1 1/2 minutes. This way, the steam can escape, the doughnuts will rise higher than before and a light ribbon will form all around them. Remove the doughnuts and place them on a paper towel. Fry only 2 or 3 pieces at the same time so they are free to move about and spread in the oil. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and serve with
a mixture of the apricot preserve and brandy.

Preparation time: 50 minutes + rising
One doughnut with preserves: 1129 kJ/270 kcal