And if they happen to be filled with jam, so much the better! Homemade yeast doughnuts are so light they practically float on air, which makes it possible for me to inhale about half a dozen on a good day. Don't try that at home, kids. I'm a professional.

Good yeast doughnuts start with a sponge, made the day before and rested overnight for flavor development. On doughnut-making day, this is what your sponge should look like:

Combine that with all other ingredients save for the butter and mix for 10 minutes, scraping every three minutes or so, until a very sticky dough forms, about like so:

Now add the butter about a tablespoon at a time as the mixer runs. Scrape every so often to make sure all the butter is incorporated.

Nice thumb, moron! Put the dough into a greased bowl...

...and let rise about an hour, until doubled. About like so:

Transfer the dough to a board that's been lightly dusted with flour...

...and pat it into a rectangle.

Transfer the rectangle to a towel-lined sheet pan and put it into the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. I should add that the dough can be held at this point for up to three days if you wish. Just cover it with plastic so it doesn't dry out.

When ready, roll your dough out into a 1/4" sheet.

Using a 3 1/2" cutter, cut the dough into rounds, wadding up the scraps and re-rolling until all the dough is used. You should have 12-14 rounds. If you're making regular ring-shaped doughnuts, use a smaller cutter to punch out the holes.

Lay the rounds back onto the towel-lined sheet pan...

...and cover with greased plastic wrap.

Proof for about an hour until the rounds are puffy, but not overly so, about like this:

Fry them in 375-degree oil for about 45 seconds on a side. While they're still warm, roll them in extra fine sugar to coat.

And fill them with the jam of your choice by squirting about two teaspoons into them with a pastry bag fitted with a Bismarck (#230) tip. Don't get carried away with this step. A little jam goes a good long way. Squeeze until you can feel the doughnut get slightly heavier, then stop.

These are amazing eaten warm, but will keep just fine in a box at room temperature for up to 24 hours.

I do love a good yeast-raised doughnut, and in fact in most ways, they're easier to make than their cake-style counterparts. True, they require some advance planning, but they're aren't as fussy in the oil, or as sensitive to ambient temperatures. The best part is, they're amazingly light, much more so than a store-bought version. Try them once and you'll be making them every weekend.

The Ingredients

For the sponge:

4.2 ounces all-purpose flour
0.5 teaspoons instant yeast
3.5 ounces lukewarm water
1 large egg

For the doughnuts:

5.8 ounces all-purpose flour
2.5 teaspoons instant yeast
0.6 ounces dry milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
0.5 ounces sugar
1 large egg, cold
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ounces butter at room temperature

Canola oil for frying
Extra fine sugar for rolling (for jelly doughnuts)
Raspberry or other fruit jam for filling (for jelly doughnuts)

The Procedure

Combine the sponge ingredients in a small bowl and stir them with a fork until smooth. Let the sponge ferment for half an hour at room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.

The next day, put the sponge in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add all the remaining ingredients except the butter. Knead it for 10 minutes on medium speed, scraping down as needed. After 10 minutes, start adding the butter a tablespoon at a time, kneading until each is well incorporated.

Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and leave it in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and shape it into a rough rectangle. Put it on a towel-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a thickness of 3/8 inches. Using a 3 1/2-inch circular cookie cutter, cut out the doughnuts, re-rolling the scraps until the dough is completely used. If making jelly doughnuts, leave the dough circles intact. Otherwise, use a small 3/4" circular cutter to punch out holes in the center. Return the doughnuts to the towel-lined baking sheet, covered with a sheet of lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let them rise until puffy, about an hour.

Fry in 375-degree oil for roughly 45 seconds per side. Drain on a wire rack. Ice and decorate as desired.

For jelly doughnuts, roll the fried rounds in superfine sugar while the doughnuts are still warm. Attach a pastry tip (ideally a #230 Bismark tip, but just about any good-size tip will do) to the corner of quart-sized zip-lock bag and fill with about a cup of jam. Using a cake tester, gently poke a hole in the side (or bottom) of each doughnut. Fill with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of jam. Eat!

Makes 12-14 doughnuts.