Krofne (Serbian Doughnuts)

1. Mix flour and yeast together in a large bowl.

2. Mix together milk, water, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add butter and heat until melted and mixture is 110 degrees F (43 degrees C).

3. Pour warmed milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir to combine. Add eggs and mix until incorporated; dough will be very sticky.

4. Place dough on a generously floured surface. Knead for about 5 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, until dough is smooth and just a bit sticky.

5. Transfer to an oiled bowl and flip, to make sure all surfac30s are coated with oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, then cover with a dish towel. Place in a warm part of your kitchen and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

6. Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Punch it down and knead for 1 minute. Roll dough to a 1/2-inch thickness and cut out circles with a 3-inch cookie cutter. Place circles on parchment paper and let rise for 30 minutes.

7. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Working in batches, slowly add doughnuts. Fry until light brown on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes, flipping halfway through. Place doughnuts on a wire rack to drain slightly. Repeat with remaining doughnuts.

8. Place remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl. Roll warm doughnuts in the sugar to coat.

Cook's Notes:

For lighter krofne, punch dough down after Step 5 and let it rise again.

You can dust the warm doughnuts with vanilla sugar instead of rolling in white sugar, if preferred.

Editor's Note:

We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. Amount will vary depending on cooking time and temperature, ingredient density, and specific type of oil used.