Vanilla Buttermilk Glazed Croissant Donuts

Stir together milk and yeast in a large bowl and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Stir in eggs, sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste (or 1 bean scraped), then mix well. Add a cup of flour and salt and mix, then gradually add another 2 1/4 cups of flour.

Stir and knead for several minutes until smooth and elastic, and still somewhat tacky.

Transfer dough to a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat butter, 1 vanilla bean (scraped) or another teaspoon of vanilla paste and remaining 1/4 cup flour in the bowl of an electric mixer for a couple of minutes until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

After dough has chilled, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface then roll it into a rectangle that is around 12″ x 18″, and about 1/4″ thick. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the dough. Fold the dough as you would fold a letter before inserting it into an envelope (in thirds). Cover dough in plastic wrap and put it back in the refrigerator for another 45 minutes to an hour.

Pull dough out from the refrigerator, remove plastic and put dough on the counter top, with open sides to the left and right. Roll it out and readjust shape into a rectangle. Fold the left third towards the middle, followed by the right third. After folding, cover with plastic wrap and put it back in refrigerator for another 45 minutes to an hour.

Remove it from the refrigerator again. Roll and fold again as specified above and refrigerate dough. Do this two more times—until you’ve done it a total of four times. Then cover dough and refrigerate for another hour, or overnight (I prefer overnight, it doesn’t seem as labor intensive).

Roll out dough to about 1 1/2″ inch thickness, then using a donut cutter, cut out 12 donuts reserving holes (re-roll the dough scraps if necessary). Place cut donuts on a baking sheet and put it in the fridge until ready to fry, removing only the ones you are going to fry to keep the butter cold.

In a heavy pot, heat a couple inches of oil to around 350°F, or until hot but not smoking. Drop in a small scrap of dough to test the temp, it should sizzle. Then cook doughnuts in batches being careful not to crowd the pot (this affects the temperature of oil causing it to cool). Flip as necessary until both sides are deep golden, then transfer them to a baking sheet lined with a paper towel. Repeat until you’ve fried all of them.

Meanwhile, whisk together powdered sugar, buttermilk and vanilla to make glaze. Drizzle over doughnuts while still warm.

Makes 1 dozen donuts and holes.