INGREDIENTS
- FOR THE DONUTS:
- 1⅓ cups warm milk
- 1 package (2.5 teaspoons) quick-rise instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 vanilla bean
- FOR THE GLAZE:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup (or more) powdered sugar
- 8 tablespoons dark maple sirup
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place the warm milk and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a cup and add the yeast. Stir and let sit for about 10 minutes until the yeast is activated and starts to smell and expand.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook attached, Mix the milk-yeast mixture, the rest of the sugar and the melted butter. Mix in the eggs, flour and inside of the vanilla bean.
- Beat the dough with the dough hook attachment for 2-3 minutes at medium speed. Adjust the dough texture by adding some flour if necessary. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and be very soft and smooth but still slightly sticky - don't overflour! Too much flour will make the donuts hard and dry, the dough needs to be a little sticky.
- Knead the dough for a few minutes by hand.
- (If you are not using the quick-rise yeast but regular instant dry yeast, place the dough into a large bowl and cover with greased plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it doubles in size. The quick-rise yeast does not require this step!)
- Roll out the dough to about ½-inch thickness on a surface covered with plastic wrap. Using a donut cutter or a 3 inch and a 1 inch circle cookie cutter, cut out the donuts and carefully transfer them onto a lined cookie sheet. Let the donuts rise for about 45 minutes, until they are puffed and nearly doubled.
- Bake at 350° F for about 8 to 10 minutes. They should still be pale on top, not golden and browned, and just barely baked through.
- Remove the donuts from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes.
- To make the glaze, melt the butter and mix it with the maple sirup and powdered sugar until the sugar is well dissolved and you reached a creamy icing. Glaze the donuts and let them dry.
- The donuts taste best when fresh, try to eat them within a day or two.
