Late night doughnuts

1/8 cup hot water
1/6 cup melted butter
3/4 milk, warm
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp yeast
2 1/2 - 4 cups flour

In a large bowl, mix together water, butter, milk and sugar. Sprinkle yeast on top and stir once. Wait about ten minutes until the top is foamy.

Add egg and salt, beating well. Stir in 2 cups flour and mix well. Wait ten minutes.

Knead in flour one half cup at a time until smooth and elastic. Don't add in more flour than needed - you want these to be nice and fluffy!

Put the dough back in the bowl (oiled) and cover gently with plastic wrap. Let rise an hour or until doubled in size. Punch the dough down.



Using a knife, cut the dough into small pieces about the size of a golfball. Roll into a ball, pinching the ends to form a little belly button. Dip the balls in milk, then place them on baking sheet about one inch apart. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again until doubled.

Heat oil to med-high heat. Carefully put one doughnut in the oil. If it browns immediately, your oil is too hot. If it take a minute or two to brown, it's too low.

Cook until deep brown, flipping to cook evenly. Put the doughnuts on a paper towel. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar.

Best made after 10 pm as a late night snack