These doughnuts take anywhere from 4 hours to overnight to prepare! It is important to make sure all of your ingredients are room temperature. I suggest letting the doughnuts do their second proof overnight so that you can have freshly fried doughnuts in the morning with coffee. Yum!
Makes 12 doughnuts
Prep time: About 4 hours
Tools needed: Doughnut cutter, tongs, wire rack, candy thermometer.
Ingredients
1 packet Instant Yeast (1/4 oz)
2 tablespoons warm water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 egg yolks
4 tablespoons salted butter
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
Directions
Allow the yeast to rise by mixing it with the warm water and half teaspoon of sugar in a bowl and setting it aside to triple in size - about 5 minutes. If it does not grow, check the expiration of the yeast and start again.
In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add all the remaining ingredients (flour, yolks, butter, milk, sugar, and vanilla) to the bowl and knead on a medium speed for 10 minutes.
Once the dough is finished kneading, you’ll notice it is sticky and forms into a ball. Take the dough out of the bowl and spray baking spray at the bottom of the bowl and place the dough back inside to proof for the first time.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and allow to proof for 1.5 to 2 hours in a warm area - dough will triple in size.
While the dough is proofing, cut 4”x4” parchment paper squares and place on a baking sheet.
Remove dough from bowl onto greased surface and roll into a sheet. The dough should be rolled to about 1/2 inch thickness or more depending on doughnut size.
Cut out doughnut shaped with cutter and place doughnuts on parchment squares on a tray.
Cover tray with a baking towel and allow to proof for a second time either overnight in the fridge (with the tray covered in plastic wrap) or for an hour or two on the counter until doughnuts double in size.
In a medium, deep casserole pan warm up the vegetable oil to 350 to 360 degrees F using a candy thermometer. The temperature should remain this temperature the whole time for even baking.
Place the doughnut into the oil, removing the parchment once it is in the oil with two forks or tongs. This prevents you from disrupting the shape. Fry for 45 seconds to a minute on each side or until golden brown, flipping the doughnut with tongs or two forks.
Transfer cooked doughnuts to a cooling rack and decorate with icing once cooled.
Doughnut Icing
Ingredients
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Food dye (optional)
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until smooth and combined. Dip doughnuts and place on sprinkles or allow to dry on wire rack.