Maple Bacon Donut

Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Arrange 225g thick-cut bacon in a single layer on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes until fully crispy, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Once cool enough to handle, crumble bacon into ½cm (¼-inch) bits and set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine 420g all-purpose flour, 7g instant dry yeast, 50g granulated sugar, and 1 tsp fine sea salt. Add 180ml warmed whole milk (38°C/100°F), 2 room-temperature large eggs, and 57g melted, cooled unsalted butter. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes to combine, then increase to medium-low speed and knead for 6 minutes until a smooth, soft, slightly tacky dough forms. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm (24°C/75°F), draft-free spot for 1 hour until doubled in volume.

Once the dough has doubled, punch it firmly in the center to release trapped air, then turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough to an even 1.25cm (½-inch) thickness, then use a 9cm (3.5-inch) round donut cutter to cut out donut shapes, re-rolling scraps only once to yield 8 total donuts. Arrange cut donuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely with a clean cotton kitchen towel, and let rise for 30 minutes until puffy and 1.5 times their original size.

Heat 1.5L neutral canola oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven to 175°C (350°F) over medium heat, clipping a candy thermometer to the pot edge to monitor temperature consistently. Carefully lower 2-3 donuts at a time into the hot oil (do not overcrowd the pot), frying for 90 seconds per side until deep, even golden brown on both surfaces. Use a slotted metal spoon to transfer fried donuts to a wire rack set over a baking sheet, and let cool for 10 minutes before glazing.

While donuts cool, make the maple glaze: whisk 180g sifted powdered sugar, 120ml pure maple syrup, 30ml whole milk, and 1 tsp vanilla extract in a wide, shallow bowl until completely smooth with no lumps. Adjust consistency as needed: add 1 tsp extra milk if the glaze is too thick to dip, or 1 tbsp extra powdered sugar if it is too runny to coat donuts evenly.

Dip the top half of each slightly cooled donut fully into the maple glaze, holding it above the bowl for 5 seconds to let excess glaze drip back down. Return the donut to the wire rack with the glazed side facing up, then immediately sprinkle 1-2 tbsp of crumbled crispy bacon over the wet glaze, pressing lightly to help the bacon adhere. Let the glaze set for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving.