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For the doughnuts:
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In a medium bowl, dissolve half of the yeast into half of the warm milk. Add 1/4 cup of the bread flour and stir to create a smooth paste. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
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Then, combine the remaining milk and yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the rested flour mixture, vanilla extract, and egg and stir until smooth. Add the whole wheat flour plus 1/4 cup of the bread flour, sugar, and salt and stir on medium-high until the dough starts to come together. Add the butter and continue to stir, adding additional bread flour about 1/8 cup at a time, until the dough starts to form into a ball. Attach your dough hook and knead in the remaining bread flour a little at a time until the dough is somewhat smooth and only slightly sticky.
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Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest in a warm place for 30 minutes. Then remove the plastic wrap, push down the dough and let it recover. And then put the plastic back over the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 12 hours.
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Line a baking sheet with a towel and dust with flour. Roll out the dough on a flour dusted work surface until you have a thickness of 1/2-inch. Use a 2-inch biscuit cutter and cut out the dough and place on the dusted towel, about 1-inch apart. You can re-roll the scraps of dough to make additional doughnuts.
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Cover the sheet of doughnuts with plastic wrap and let them rise for 30 to 45 minutes or until doubled in size. If you had let them chill for longer in the above step they may take longer to rise. Keep an eye on them to avoid over-proofing and check every 5 minutes. To test, use your fingertip and gently press down on the center of the doughnut. If it rises quickly, it needs more time. If it doesn't rise, it has over-proofed and you will need to re-roll the dough and try again. If it rises slowly, it's just right and ready for frying!
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Just before the doughnuts have finished proofing, fill a heavy pot with oil about 2-inches high. Heat until the oil reaches 365 F. Carefully, place a few of the doughnuts into the hot oil and fry for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Be careful not to overcrowd the pot as this will drop the temperature down. Remove the cooked doughnuts with a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack with paper towels underneath. Repeat frying the rest of the doughnuts. Allow the doughnuts to cool before frosting.
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For the maple meringue frosting:
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In a small pot, add maple syrup and heat to 235 F using a candy thermometer. Be careful not to overheat! When the syrup reaches 220 F, add the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt into your stand mixer bowl. Stir until frothy and then increase the speed to medium until stiff peaks are achieved. When the syrup has come to temperature, slowly pour it into the egg whites, with the mixer still at medium speed. Allow to mix until the meringue is thick and shiny, about 2 minutes. Frost donuts as desired.
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Recipe inspired by Food52, Lara Ferroni.
