Krofi, Slovenian Doughnuts

1. Sift the flour. Crumble yeast into 3 tbsp warm milk, mix in 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp flour; set the yeast into a warm place until it rises to about twice its size.

2. For Dough (1): mix warm milk with eggs, butter, cream, sugar and salt; mix flour with yeast and milk mixture.

2. For Dough (2) and (3): mix butter, egg yolks and sugar beat until frothy; mix flour, butter mixture, yeast, warm milk (and cream (3)); add all the spices and rum.

3. Beat the dough with wooden spoon, until very smooth and soft. The dough is done when it separates from the bowl and spoon. Cover the dough and set it into a warm place to rise to about twice its size.

4. Dust a working surface lightly with flour. Roll out the dough to "half the thickness of your finger", or about 8 mm. Cut round shapes with a glass (size is optional 8 to 16 cm in diameter).

5. Put one tsp of apricot marmalade on the dough, than cover with another piece - but make sure that the dusted side of the dough is on the top. Press the sides of krof lightly, then cut out the shape again with a slightly smaller glass.

6. Arrange the formed krof on a dusted cloth, about two fingers apart; cover and set in a warm place to raise, for about 30 minutes.

7. Heat the oil in the fryer to about 150 °C. Put in the krofi carefully, just a few at a time (it is a god idea to try just one first); fry covered on one side until brown, then turn over.  Turn over only once!

*Properly baked krof should have a yellow band - i.e., they should sink into the oil just a bit less than one half.
*If krof sinks to the bottom, the oil is too cold.
*If krof spin while frying, they have risen too much.
*If they float on their sides, you have not centered the marmalade properly.

8. Remove krof onto paper towels to drain off the excess oil, than dust with icing sugar while still hot and arrange on a serving platter.