Yeasted glazed donuts

Warm 240 ml whole milk to about 110 to 115 Fahrenheit in the microwave; too hot kills the yeast.

Stir about a teaspoon of granulated sugar into the warm milk, then two packets of active dry yeast, and leave five to ten minutes until frothy. If it does not froth the yeast is dead and you start over.

Melt 85 g of butter at half power in the microwave, cut small so it does not explode.

Whisk 540 g all-purpose flour with half a teaspoon of salt and set aside.

Whisk the melted butter with 50 g sugar and two large room temperature eggs until smooth, then whisk in the frothed yeast milk.

Stir the flour in by hand until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead on a lightly floured surface about five minutes until smooth and elastic but still tacky. The windowpane test is the check: stretch a piece thin enough to see light through without tearing. Kneading develops the gluten and hydrates the dough.

Rise in a lightly oiled covered bowl in a warm place about an hour, until well puffed.

Punch the dough down and pat it out, adding a little flour, and roll to about three quarters of an inch; too thin or too thick and the inside will not cook right in the oil.

Cut rounds with a circle cookie cutter onto a sheet of parchment paper, and cut the centres out with a one inch cutter. Keep the holes.

Cover loosely and rise in a warm place about 40 minutes until really puffy; this second rise is what makes them light as air.

Heat two inches of oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat with a thermometer to 350 Fahrenheit.

For the glaze, stir 360 g powdered sugar with 90 ml milk and half a teaspoon of vanilla to a thin drizzling consistency and cover it so it does not dry out.

Fry the donut holes first until golden brown, turning them with a spider, then drain on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.

Fry the donuts three to four at a time, handling them gently so the structure is not squeezed out, watching the thermometer as the oil temperature drops when they go in.

Dip the still-warm donuts in the glaze as much or as little as wanted, or spoon it over for full coverage, letting it drain before setting them on the wire rack.