Glaze:

1/4 cup (2 oz) milk

2 cups (8 oz) confectioner's sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toppings:

Coconut, chopped nuts, powder sugar, sprinkles if you like, etc.

Directions:

Whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, milk, butter and vanilla and stir into the flour mixture, mixing until well combined.Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then knead for 6 to 8 minutes by hand or mixer until you have a smooth, soft dough. Place the dough in a buttered bowl, turn it over to grease the top, and let it rise, covered, in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until doubled in bulk. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently roll the dough out to 1/4 inchthickness and cut with a round cutter.Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap(I didn't bother) and let rise again for about 1 hour until doubled again.Place oil or shortening in a heavy pan or deep skillet and heat to 350°F.(This is were you need to get the temp. just right or it will burn the doughnuts if the oil is too hot.) Place the doughnuts in the oil, two or three at a time, and fry until golden brown. Turn over and cook the second side. This should be no more than a minute(or less...they brown very quickly) on each side. Overcooking will make the doughnuts tough. Drain on paper towels.To make the glaze, stir the milk into the confectioners' sugar until it is smooth, then add the vanilla.When the doughnuts are cool enough to handle (but still warm), dip the tops of the doughnuts into the glaze, then place on a rack so the glaze will drip down.

Adapted from: The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion: The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook )