AMERICAN DONUTS

Cooking

1. Dissolve one tablespoon of yeast in a ¾ cup of warm milk, then add ¾ cup of flour and mix until you have a smooth paste. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place for 30 minutes.
2. After 30 minutes, fit a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, and add one teaspoon of yeast and ¼ cup of milk to a bowl of a stand mixer. Then add the flour mixture, vanilla, and egg yolks. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds or until you have a smooth dough.
3. Add 1 cup of flour, sugar and salt, then turn the mixer on medium speed and mix for 30 seconds or so. Add the butter and mix on medium speed for until combined.
4. Fit the stand mixer with a dough hook. Add the remaining flour. Knead at medium speed for a minute or until the dough is smooth, and not overly sticky. Cover the bowl with wrap and store in a warm place for 30 minutes.
5. After 30 minutes gently press down on the dough to remove gas bubbles. Then cover the bowl again and put it in the refrigerator for 3-12 hours.
6. On a lightly floured worktop, roll the dough to a 1,25 cm thickness. With a doughnut or a cookie cutter, cut out 7,5-cm-diameter rounds that have 2,5-cm-diameter holes. Put the doughnuts to the prepared baking tray, taking care that there is a 2,5-cm space between each doughnut.
7. Cover the baking tray with wrap and place it in a warm place so the doughnuts can proof. After 30-40 minutes they should have doubled in size. The right doughnut should spring back slowly after touching.
8. As the doughnuts are proofing, line a baking tray with two layers of paper towels and put a wire rack on top of the paper towels. In a heavy-bottomed large pot or a deep fryer, heat a minimum of 5 cm of oil to 180°C.
9. Carefully place a few doughnuts into the oil using a slotted spoon, flipping once until lightly golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side. Place the finished doughnuts on a wire rack to cool. Wait for the oil to reach 180°C, then fry the second batch of doughnuts. Repeat this step until you're out of doughnuts.
10. Once the doughnuts have slightly cooled, glaze them with a topping of your choice.
11. To make the sugar glaze, first place sugar in a medium bowl, then while continuously mixing, gradually pour in the milk and add vanilla until you have a smooth glaze.
12. Sift sugar and cocoa powder directly to a medium bowl. Next, while continuously stirring, slowly pour in the milk and add vanilla. The finished glaze should be smooth and pourable.