maple-bacon donuts

I had some time to kill before I got on the plane to come home from San Francisco last month, so I ran into TJ Maxx, and that's when I found this...

I almost missed the plane standing in line to buy it (you know I'm not kidding) but it was worth it.  For the next hour and 55 minutes, I was drooling over recipes like ricotta zeppole, lemon-filled beignets, chocolate-hazelnut fritters, salted caramel-pecan donuts, and glazed orange blossoms.  Not to mention the three pages of fillings, glazes, and custard recipes in the back. 

When I got home, I was excited to give the children squeezes and kisses, I am a mother first, but I found myself consumed with other thoughts like maple-bacon donuts and french crullers. 

Step 1.  Call Matt. 

Matt is my next door neighbor and if there ever was a fry daddy, it would be him.

I'd like to give him credit for introducing my family to such things as {Bacon Explosion} (don't knock it 'till you try it).  He's a fellow foodie and it's a rare day when we're not back and forth, sampling the latest offerings from the kitchen.

My doughnut making proposal had him out of his recliner in 2.5 seconds and we began scouring our kitchens for all the right ingredients.  We didn't want to leave anyone out, so we called in the troops.

Together we measured, mixed, poured, and cut.

Then we gently placed them in the frier and...

waited for them to cook with our eyes lit up like children on Christmas morning. 

we glazed them, gave them a light sprinkling of bacon, and....

it was LOVE.  Seriously, you should have heard the sounds going on in my kitchen as I cut the first donut into 8 tiny pieces and we all had our first bite together.  The combination of salty and sweet, plus the perfectly dense cake donut.  An experience we will not soon forget.

Our family is SO blessed to have great neighbors on either side of us.  We love them and consider them some of our dearest friends.  They're the kind of people we can count on for anything, anytime.  For that reason alone, we're not moving.  And neither are they.  Ever.

You should try these donuts with your neighbors.  They're so easy, and beyond delicious. 

Maple-Bacon Donuts

2 1/4 C all purpose flower
1 1/2 tsp (fresh) baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Sift together in a bowl

2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 c granulated sugar
1/4 c packed brown sugar
Mix until creamy

Add half of the flower mixture to the egg and sugar mixture and beat just until incorporated.

Add:
1/2 C whole milk
2 T melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Add the remaining flour mixture and beat, on low speed, just until the mixture comes together into a soft dough.  Cover and refrigerate 30 min.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough about 1/2 inch thick and cut out with a donut cutter (we used big and small, round cookie cutters).  Gather up remaining scraps and repeat rolling and cutting.

Fry in Canola oil at 360 degrees for about 1.5 minutes, turn over, and fry for another minute.  Transfer donuts to a towel lined baking sheet. 

Maple Glaze

1 C confectioners' sugar
1/4 C pure maple syrup (we used Karo Syrup and pure maple extract)
3 T heavy cream

Stir together sugar and maple syrup until well blended.  Add the cream and whisk until smooth.  Add a few more drops of cream if needed to make a smooth glaze.  Glaze donuts immediately.  Sprinkle the tops with cooked, chopped bacon.