There is a simple, universal truth in the world of cuisine: no matter our differences, nearly every culture on the planet delights in fried dough.

There is a simple, universal truth in the world of cuisine: no matter our differences, nearly every culture on the planet delights in fried dough. Whether it's Spain's churros or the loukoumades of Greece, a sugar-dusted beignet or a chocolate-glazed confection, this simple deep-fried sweet has an uncanny ability to hit the pleasure center.

But two species from the fried dough genus have become fixtures on the fine dining and culinary experimentation scene. French beignets and all-American doughnuts are suddenly popping up on restaurant menus everywhere.

Doughnuts are either yeast-raised or made like a cake, with a leavening agent, such as baking powder or baking soda. Beignets are traditionally made with choux pastry, a light dough also used in crullers and eclairs, but the treats can also be made with a yeast dough, which makes them more akin to a small doughnut.

Behind the beignetAt Madera in Menlo Park, Calif., beignets are served with a sprinkling of sugar and honey. At neighboring Marche, they're paired with strawberry balsamic jam. And at both Manresa in Los Gatos, Calif., and Chez TJ in Mountain View, Calif., they're served with chicory-flavored ice cream, a nod to New Orleans where beignets first took up American residence.“Beignets sell ridiculously well,” said Lincoln Carson, head pastry chef for the Mina Group. “They fly out the door.”Carson has spent the last month testing beignet recipes, in preparation for the opening of Michael Mina's Bourbon Steak in San Francisco. His favorite beignet recipe, a yeast dough flavored lightly with nutmeg, is also used at San Francisco's RN74 and the Arcadia Steakhouse in San Jose, Calif.The key to great beignets, said Carson, is to keep them simple and focus on technique and quality ingredients. Don't overcomplicate an already perfect thing by trying to give it a modern spin.

Blank canvasBut doughnuts are another matter — a blank canvas awaiting a creative cook with a penchant for new flavors. At Oakland's SR24, piping hot doughnut holes are served with a creamy coffee dipping sauce. And the 5A5 steakhouse in San Francisco features a green tea doughnut. But nowhere do these classic treats get gussied up with gourmet ingredients as often as at, well, doughnut shops.“Doughnut shops have the flexibility to do more with them,” said Lara Ferroni, author of the new “Doughnuts: Simple and Delicious Recipes to Make at Home” (Sasquatch Books, $16.95, 128 pages).She said doughnut shops are also highly motivated to come up with new, interesting flavors to attract more customers. Take the maple bacon-glazed version at San Francisco's Dynamo, for example, or the crumbled Pocky Stick-topped take at Psycho Donuts in Campbell and San Jose.“We're partnering with a chef from the Culinary Institute of America,” said Psycho co-owner Web Granger. “We've upped our game on the doughnut side.”

DIY doughtnutsYou don't have to dine out for a creative doughnut fix, said Ferroni. Americans may down a staggering 10 billion doughnuts each year — nearly all made commercially — but homemade doughnuts are an old-fashioned delight. Many early American cookbooks included recipes for doughnuts, which home cooks would fry while doing their weekly Saturday baking.“It's a different experience,” she said.In addition to the freshness, there are other advantages of doughnuts made at home, said Ferroni, namely control of the sugar content and ingredients, and freedom to play with flavors.Her book includes basic recipes for yeast and cake doughnuts, as well as gluten-free and vegan doughnuts. She also delves into the wider world of fried dough with recipes for sopaipillas, loukoumades and Portuguese malasadas, very popular in Hawaii.For those looking to go beyond plain fried dough, Ferroni includes a banana cake version, an apple pie spin and a margarita doughnut with a tequila-lime glaze.

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon active dry yeast, divided1 cup whole milk, heated to 110 degrees F, divided2 to 2 ½ cups bread flour, divided2 tablespoons superfine sugar½ teaspoon salt1 teaspoon vanilla extract3 egg yolks¼ cup unsalted butter or vegetable shorteningVegetable oil for fryingDissolve 1 tablespoon yeast in 3/4 cup milk. Stir in 3/4 cup flour to create a smooth paste. Cover and let rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.Combine remaining milk and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer (use paddle attachment). Mix in flour paste, vanilla and egg yolks. Turn off mixer; add 1 cup flour, sugar and salt. Mix on low 30 seconds or until dough starts to come together. Add butter, mix until incorporated, 30 seconds.Switch to dough hook. Add more flour, ¼ cup at a time, kneading dough at medium speed between additions, until it pulls away from the sides, and is smooth and not too sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for 30 minutes. Gently press dough down, and refrigerate for 1-12 hours.Line a baking sheet with a lightly floured dish towel. Roll dough ½ inch thick. With a doughnut or cookie cutter, cut out 3-inch rounds with 1-inch-holes. Place an inch apart on baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm spot until almost double in size, 30-40 minutes, testing at 5-minute intervals by touching lightly with a fingertip. If it springs back immediately, it needs more time. If it springs back slowly, it's ready. If it doesn't spring back at all, it has over-proofed; you can punch it down and reroll it once.While doughnuts are proofing, heat a heavy-bottomed pot with at least 2 inches of oil, until thermometer registers 360 degrees.With a metal spatula, slide doughnuts into the oil. Fry 1-2 minutes per side, or until light golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on a wire rack over a paper towel, and let cool slightly before glazing.

1½ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted2 tablespoons maple syrup2 tablespoons milk or waterPlace sugar in a medium bowl and slowly stir in the maple syrup and milk, a little at a time, to make a smooth, pourable glaze.

1½ cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted to remove any lumps3 to 4 tablespoons milk or water3 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)Place the sugar in a bowl and slowly stir in the milk and vanilla a little at a time, to make a smooth, pourable glaze.