Baked Doughnuts
Makes approximately 14 doughnuts + doughnut holes
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup whole milk, warm (115ºF)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
2.5-3.5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, cut into 1 inch cubes
Prep Day: Place egg and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until well blended. Add milk, yeast, and vanilla. Allow yeast to proof a bit, then turn mixer to low and stir until incorperated. Add salt and 2 cups flour (1/2 cup at a time), beat until dough is thick and smooth. Add the butter, once piece at a time, beating until no large chunks of butter are visible. Switch to a dough hook and beat in just enough additional flour until the dough starts to clean the side of the boil and is tacky but not overly sticky. Allow to beat for another couple minutes until the dough is smooth. Place the dough in a large greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). (I like to turn on my oven for one minute and then shut it off. I put the dough in the oven with the oven light on and shut the door. This keeps it nice and warm and helps it rise faster.)
Punch down the dough and roll it out about 1/2 inch thick. With a doughnut or cookie cutter, cut out 3 inch diameter rounds with 1 inch diameter holes. Transfer the doughnuts to a parchment lined baking sheet, at least 1 inch apart. Gather remaining dough scraps into a ball, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes. Reroll the dough and cut out more doughnuts, placing them on a prepared baking sheet. Any dough that’s left can be made into doughnut holes. Cover the doughnuts loosely with plastic wrap and set in a warm place until nearly doubled in size (20-30 minutes).
Bake at 400ºF for 5-8 minutes, until the doughnuts are a light golden brown, taking care not to overbake them. Glaze while warm or let cool and freeze. If you are going to freeze do not glaze.
Serve Day: Glaze after thawing.
Chocolate Glaze
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon milk
20 grams dark chocolate, roughly chopped
1/4 cup icing (confectioners) sugar
Place butter, vanilla, corn syrup and milk in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Stir until melted. Turn heat to low and add chocolate, stir until melted. Remove from heat and whisk in icing sugar until smooth. Dip tops of doughnuts into chocolate glaze. Place chocolate side up to set.
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pour butter into a small plate. Mix together sugar and cinnamon in another small plate. Coat doughnuts in butter then in cinnamon sugar mixture.
Northerly Nosh 