These are delicious. The taste of fall - subtle not overpowering glaze - with the fluffy dough - with almost the same texture as krispy-kreme donuts - give them a try - they're fun to make, easy and delicious!
Ingredients:
Yields about 20 donuts and takes about 2 hours
Donuts
1 and 1/4 cup milk (2% or whole)
4 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 packet instant dry yeast
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1/4 cup sugar
Vegetable/canola oil for frying
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup real maple syrup
Directions:
1. Heat the milk until just warm (45 seconds - 1 minute in microwave) and mix with the yeast. Let this sit a few minutes until activated.
2. Using a mixer with the dough hook- combine/mix the yeast/milk mixture, sugar, eggs, melted butter, and salt.
3. Add half the flour mixture. Once all incorporated - add the rest of the flour until all combined. Make sure to scrape down the side of the bowl if needed. If the dough is too wet - add a little more flour - a tablespoon at a time. The dough should be dense, soft and a little sticky but not enough to stay on your fingers.
4. Once the dough is formed - place a towel over the top of the bowl and let it rise in a warm place - one hour.
5. When the dough has risen for an hour - pour onto a floured surface and roll into 3/8th inch-ish thickness. Cut with a biscuit cutter - or use the top of a cup/glass if you don't have one - about 3 inches wide. Then take a smaller round cutter to cut out the donut holes. Knead the scraps together and roll out and cut the rest - or freeze the rest of the dough for a later time.
6. Place the cut donuts and donut holes onto parchment paper and let them rise in a warm place until puffed up a bit, about 45 minutes.
7. After about 30 minutes into the rising process - start the oil. Get the oil to about 375 degrees or so.
8. Begin deep-frying - make sure not to overcrowd the pan. After about 45 seconds flip the donuts - pay attention for when they get light brown - then remove to a cooling rack over paper towel. Repeat until they are all finished - this goes fast.
9. Once all the donuts and donut holes are resting on the cooling wrack - make your glaze. Heat the maple syrup and butter in a small saucepan on medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, give it a good whisk and turn off the heat. Once you turn off the heat, add the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla and whisk until all combined.
10. Dip your donut one at a time into the glaze and with a fork or tongs, flip to get both sides glazed up - then put them back on the cooling rack.
11. EAT RIGHT AWAY THEY'RE DELICIOUS.
Notes: These like most fresh donuts do not last long even if in air tight container - they really are best eaten the same day.
Enjoy!
xoxo Chef Em