Home-made Maple Bars
Taken from:
Simplyhomecooked.com

Fluffy!

Preptime: About 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12

Note: This recipe does require approximately 2 hours resting time

Donut Ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm water (110f or about)
• 3/4 cup warm milk (heat in microwave for a minute)
• 2 tsp dry active yeast
• 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 large eggs
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For the Glaze

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 TBSP milk
• 1 TBSP corn syrup
• 2 tsp maple extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Froth up the yeast

• Combine 1/2 cup warm water, 3/4 cup warm milk along with 1 tbsp sugar and 2 tsp yeast. Give it a quick whisk and wait till it gets foamy. About 10 minutes.

Combine everything in a stand mixer

• In the bowl of a stand mixer add 5 1/2 cups of flour(spooned and leveled off with a knife) , 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup sugar, the frothy yeast mixture, and 5 large eggs. Using the hook attachment, mix everything together on medium-high speed.
• When the donut dough begins to come together add 1/2 cup of softened unsalted butter. Continue mixing on medium-high speed for about 8 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic and no longer sticks to the sides of the stand mixer.

Let the dough rise

• Place the donut dough in a greased bowl and cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Then let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size. ( I like to speed it up in the oven on the “proof” setting).

Punch and proof a second time

• After the dough rises punch it down, reshape it, and let it rise again until it becomes twice the size (about an hour),

Roll, cut, and proof the donuts again

• Now remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a well-floured baking sheet, roll the dough out to fit the sheet, should still be about 2/3″ thick.
• Now cut out the 12 donut bars using a pizza cutter and let them rise another 30 minutes.

Fry the donuts

• Pour about 2 inches of corn or vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot and let the oil come to 360-375 degrees Fahrenheit (or use a deep fryer). Now fry each side of the donut for 1:35 per side or until golden brown.
• Transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb any extra oil. Let them cool completely.

Make the maple glaze and dip

• To make the glaze melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter in a saucepan. Then add 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 TBSP milk, and 1 TBSP corn syrup. Turn the heat to medium and let it come to a simmer.
• Then turn the heat off and add 2 tsp of maple extract and 2 cups of powdered sugar. Stir until smooth.
• Then dip the cooled donuts into the maple glaze and let them set on a cooling rack.