Shrovetide Doughnuts

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  Prepare all ingredients – preferably in a warmer spot – about an hour beforehand, so they reach the same temperature. The dough will then rise better.
• 2
  First, prepare the leaven. Lightly heat the milk in a saucepan, stir in 20 g of powdered sugar (1 tablespoon), and crumble the yeast into it. Cover with a cloth and let it activate for 15 minutes.
• 3
  Meanwhile, sift the flour and sugar. Stir a pinch of salt into the flour, ensuring it doesn't touch the yeast. Add the egg yolks and one whole egg, butter, cream, yogurt, and finally the prepared leaven, then knead the dough. Gradually add the alcohol to the dough while kneading. Properly kneaded dough should be smooth, shiny, not too stiff, and should pull away from the sides of the bowl. Dust the finished dough with flour, cover the bowl with a cloth, and place it in a warm spot free from drafts. The dough should double in volume (about 1 hour).
• 4
  Roll out the risen dough into 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 the other half of the dough over, and use the glass to cut out the doughnuts. 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 warm spot, cover them with a cloth, and let them rise again until their volume doubles. Well-risen doughnuts float better in fat and develop characteristic light rings.
• 6
  In a wide saucepan or deep fryer, heat lard or solid vegetable fat to 160°C, so the doughnuts can float freely. Fry the doughnuts until golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes. After frying, let them drain on paper towels.