Doughnuts for Halloween

I used a new (and simpler) recipe this year and they ended up being fantastic.  I halved the recipe on Sunday morning and made them for breakfast as a practice run, and then I doubled the recipe for Halloween.  I only made holes because they fry up so much faster.

This recipe is adapted from Donna Hay.

2 t active dry yeast
1 1/2 T warm water
1/2 c lukewarm milk
4 T sugar
50 g butter, melted (I used my scale, sorry, this is from a British magazine)
2 1/4 c all purpose flour
2 eggs

Place yeast, water, milk, and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a large bowl and set in a warm place for 10 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface.  Add butter, eggs, flour and remaining sugar and stir with a large spoon until a sticky dough forms.  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.  Place in a large oiled bowl, cover with a cloth and set in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. 

Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic.  Roll out to 1cm thick and cut out holes or donuts.  (I used a glass baby bottle which made the perfect size).  Place rounds on a lined baking tray and let rise for 30 minutes. 

Heat oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat to 350 degrees.  Cook in batches, turning frequently, until lightly golden.  Drain on absorbent paper.  Toss in sugar or glaze.

Maple Glaze (proportions are purely approximations)
1 to 1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 c melted butter
1/4 to 1/3 c pure maple syrup
1/4 to 1/3 c heavy whipping cream
Combine and whisk until smooth.

Chocolate Glaze (proportions are purely approximations)
4 oz dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 c butter
1/4 to 1/2 c heavy whipping cream
1 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla extract

Melt chocolate with butter and cream in a double boiler until smooth.  Whisk with sugar and vanilla.  Add more cream or sugar to get desired consistency.