Polish Doughnuts

Scald milk with butter. Cool to lukewarm or room temperature.

Crumble yeast in a medium bowl. Add water and 1 teaspoon sugar, and mix until pasty. Set aside. Let rise until spongy.

Whisk egg yolks. Add 3/4 cup sugar, and mix thoroughly. Add the cooled scalded milk mixture, and beat until foamy. Mix in yeast mixture. Add flour gradually, beating after each addition. Beat until thick and springy. Add flour only as needed to make a soft dough; too much will make the doughnuts tough. Cover, and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 3 pieces, keeping dough covered while you work. Divide each piece of dough into 12, and shape dough into small balls. Let rise on floured waxed paper until doubled, about 30 minutes.

In a deep-fryer, heat shortening to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Working in batches of 2-4 doughnuts, fry until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and roll in sugar.