Fašank Doughnuts

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  Prepare all the ingredients – preferably in a warmer place – about an hour in advance, so they have the same temperature. The dough will rise better this way.
• 2
  First, prepare the yeast starter. Slightly warm the milk in a saucepan, stir in 20 g of powdered sugar (1 tablespoon), and crumble in the yeast. Cover with a cloth and let it rise for 15 minutes.
• 3
  Meanwhile, sift the flour and sugar, mix a pinch of salt into the flour to avoid contact with the yeast, add the egg yolks and one egg, butter, cream, yogurt, and finally the prepared yeast starter, and knead the dough. Gradually pour the alcohol into the dough during kneading. The properly worked dough should be smooth, shiny, not too stiff, and should detach from the sides of the bowl. Dust the finished dough with flour, cover the bowl with a cloth, and place it in a warmer, draft-free place. The dough should rise to double its volume (about 1 hour).
• 4
  Roll out the risen dough to a sheet about 0.5 cm thick. On one half of the dough, use a glass to mark circles, place one teaspoon of jam or plum butter in the center of each circle, fold over the other half of the dough, and cut out the doughnuts with the glass. The dough must be sealed all around the edges to prevent the jam from leaking out during frying.
• 5
  Place the cut-out doughnuts on a lightly floured warmer place, cover them with a cloth, and let them rise again until their volume doubles. Well-risen doughnuts float better in the fat and form characteristic light rings.
• 6
  In a wide pot or deep fryer, heat lard or solid cooking fat to 160°C, so the doughnuts can float freely. Fry the doughnuts until golden on each side, about 2 minutes. After frying, let them dry on a paper towel.