Step 1

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt. Add milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir well to combine (it will be a crumby texture), and there are no dry ingredients visible. Make sure to scrape off the flour from the sides of the bowl.

Step 2

Cover with plastic wrap or dish towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for 15- 20 minutes. Resting helps the dough build gluten strength naturally, which makes the dough become less sticky and easier to knead.

Step 3

Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes (See notes below for instructions on how to knead). If the dough is too sticky to handle, apply some more flour to your hands and dough, but not too much. Cover the dough with a large bowl upside down and let it rest for 5 minutes. Resting allows gluten in dough to relax and further build more gluten strength. It’s very similar to how sleeping aids in muscle repair and new muscle growth in human body.

Step 4

Knead the dough for another 5 minutes until the dough ball is smooth and supple. Because of high fat content in the dough, it should take less than 10 minutes to achieve a smooth and supple dough ball. A well-kneaded dough is smooth and can hold its shape. Also, when you give the dough ball a firm poke with your finger, the indentation should bounce right back. If it doesn’t bounce back and stays like a dimple, keep kneading for a few more minutes.

Step 5

Transfer the kneaded dough ball back to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise for 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size.

Step 6

Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and roll it out with a rolling pin to an approximately 8 x 10 inch rectangle with 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out circles using a 2.5-inch round cookie cutter or another object such as the rim of a glass or bowl. You should yield 12 donuts. Use the scraps to make smaller donuts (or even into dinner rolls).

Step 7

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Place the donuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet (or line with a silicone mat). The transfer will likely cause the donuts to elongate into an oval shape. To avoid this, use a scraper to carefully transfer to keep the shape round. Sprinkle a little flour on the donuts and cover the baking sheet with a dish towel and let it rest (second rising or final proof) at room temperature for 30 minutes, or until the oven is ready. The donuts should rise about 50% or even double in size depending on the ambient temperature. The higher the room temperature, the faster and more the dough rises.

Step 8

Transfer the donut-filled baking sheet to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the donuts are lightly golden in colour. Check occasionally to make sure the donuts don’t get too brown, especially towards the end.

Step 9

Place sugar into a shallow dish. Brush the donuts with the remaining tablespoon of melted butter (as soon as they come out of the oven) and lightly coat them with sugar by rolling them in the sugar. The melted butter helps the sugar stick to the donuts but also makes the donuts taste buttery and delicious.

Step 10

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a round tip with strawberry jam. Use a knife to make a deep slit on one side of each donut. Place the pastry tip into the slit and slowly pipe about 2 teaspoons of jam into each donut.