Doughnuts are unforgiving in one way and generous in every other: get the dough temperature and the oil temperature right, and almost everything else can be adjusted to taste. This section covers yeast-raised doughnuts, cake doughnuts, baked versions for when frying is not an option, and the glazes and fillings that go with them.
What decides the result
Three things, in order of importance.
Oil temperature. Below 175 °C the dough drinks oil and turns heavy. Above 190 °C the outside colours before the middle sets. A thermometer is worth more here than any other tool.
Proofing. An under-proofed yeast doughnut stays dense; an over-proofed one collapses in the fryer. The dough should spring back slowly when pressed, not instantly.
Glaze timing. Glaze applied to a warm doughnut soaks in and sets thin. Applied cold, it stays thick and opaque. Both are correct — they are just different doughnuts.
Baked recipes are marked as such in the title. They are lighter and keep less well, so they are best eaten the day they are made.
Doughnuts rarely travel alone. Many of the same techniques, proofing, resting and getting the temperature right, also show up in the Easy Breakfast recipes, which is where to look for pancakes, eggs and quick bakes. When the weather turns and you want something long and slow instead, start with Beef Stew. The rest of the collection, including breads, sides and desserts, sits in Other.