Sourdough Carnival Doughnuts (recipe: Drožomanija)

Sweet sourdough starter:

• 20 g active starter (mine is 80% hydration)
• 45 g Manitoba flour (I used @mulinomarino brand, but regular all-purpose flour, type 500 or 400, works too)
• 10 g sugar
• 20 g water

   

When it doubles, add:

• 90 g Manitoba flour
• 22 g sugar
• 40 g water

Let it rise to 2.5× its size, then use all of it in the final dough.

Final dough

• 400 g flour T500

Mix together:

• 4 egg yolks (63 g)
• 160 g milk (150 g if using more rum)
• 20 g rum
• 35 g sugar
• ½ tsp ground vanilla
• 6 g salt
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 30 g butter (40 g is also great)

Mix all ingredients except butter into a well-developed dough (about 10 min in a mixer), then add soft butter and knead until the dough is shiny and smooth (about 10 min). The dough will not be very stiff. Cover well and let rise at room temperature until doubled (this can take 8–15 hours).

Divide into 14 portions (65 g each) and shape into balls. Place on a lightly floured cloth, gently flatten, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled.
This takes 7–12 hours at 21–22 °C.

Heat about 3.5 cm of oil in a pan slowly, then fry the doughnuts. Place them into the oil with the side that was previously on top facing down. Fry covered 3–4 min on one side, then uncover and fry 2–3 min on the other.