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1
In a medium bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon of the yeast into 1/4 cup of the milk. Add 1/4 cup of the flour and stir to create a smooth paste. Cover and let rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
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2
Combine the remaining milk and yeast in a medium sized bowl. If you have a stand mixer, you can use it, but I made this batch with a wooden spoon and a bit of good old fashioned stirring. Add the rested flour mixture along with the vanilla and the egg. Stir until smooth. Add the whole wheat flour plus 1/4 cup of the bread flour. Top with the sugar and salt and vigorously stir until the dough starts to come together. Add the butter, and continue to stir, adding flour about 1/8 cup at a time, until the dough starts to form into a ball. Then, with a dough hook if you are using a mixer or with your hands, knead in the remaining flour a little at a time until the dough is somewhat smooth and only a little sticky. You may have a little flour left over... just save it for when you roll out your dough.
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3
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for 30 minutes. Gently push down the dough, recover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (and up to 12 hours). This will help stiffen the dough a little and make it easier to roll and cut out.
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4
Line a baking sheet with a lightly floured non-terry dish towel. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2 inch thick. With a doughnut or cookie cutter, cut out 2-inch-diameter rounds (or, if you want, you can make traditional doughnut shapes with this dough and skip the filling).
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5
Place the doughnuts on the cloth lined baking sheet at least 1 inch apart and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm spot to proof until they almost double in size, about 30 to 40 minutes, testing at five-minute intervals. To test whether the dough is ready, touch lightly with a fingertip. If it springs back immediately, it needs more time. If it springs back slowly, it is ready. If it doesn't spring back at all, it has over-proofed; you can punch it down and re-roll it once.
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6
When the doughnuts are almost done proofing, heat a heavy-bottomed pot with at least 2 inches of oil until a deep-fat thermometer registers 365?F. With a metal spatula, carefully lift the proofed doughnuts and place them in the oil. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until light golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on a wire rack over a paper towel.
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7
It's important to let your doughnuts cool all the way before filling, but if you want your doughnuts sugar coated, dip them in a shallow bowl of granulated sugar while they are still slightly warm to the touch. Superfine bakers sugar works the best for this. If you want your doughnuts powdered sugar dusted, wait for them to cool before shaking on the powdered sugar.
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8
These doughnuts become almost completely hollow when fried without a hole punched in the center, so they are really easy to fill. Lightly hold the doughnut from the bottom, cradling the sides with your fingers, and gently insert the piping bag tip. If the doughnut isn't hollow for some reason, you can clear a space with a chopstick... and then simply squeeze your piping bag, slowly withdrawing it as you fill. I like a little dollop of filling to come out the top so you can see what is inside. If you fill with meringue, use a kitchen torch to lightly brown the meringue.
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9
Put the maple syrup in a 1 quart heavy bottom pot with a candy thermometer attached. Heat over medium until the syrup comes to 235F. The syrup will bubble pretty fiercely, so keep an eye on it so it doesn't bubble over. Also, be careful not to overheat or you'll end up with maple candy.
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10
When the syrup gets up around 220F, place the egg whites in the bowl of a mixer with the cream of tartar and the salt and mix until just frothy. Then, increase the speed and beat until the whites can hold a stiff peak.
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11
When the syrup has come to temperature, turn the mixer back on medium speed and slowly stream in the hot syrup, continuing to beat until the meringue is thick and a bit shiny, about 2 minutes.
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12
Transfer the meringue to a piping bag. If you have a long berliner tip for your piping bag, this is the easiest, but a standard 1/4 inch star tip will work well too. Then, fill as directed in the doughnut recipe.
