Name: Cold-Ferment Brioche Donuts
Yield: about 14 donuts
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 8 g active dry yeast; 160 ml whole milk, at room temperature; 437 g all-purpose flour; 67 g granulated sugar; 2 tsp kosher salt; 3 eggs; 100 g unsalted butter, at room temperature, in pieces; ¼ tsp ground cardamom (optional); neutral oil or lard, for frying; Yolk-Heavy Pastry Cream, to fill (optional)

Method

Dissolve the yeast (8 g2½ tsp) in the milk (160 ml⅔ cup) in a stand mixer with the dough hook. Add the flour (437 g3½ cups), sugar (67 g⅓ cup), salt (2 tsp), the cardamom if using, and the eggs (3). Mix on low for about 3 minutes.
Add the butter (100 g7 tbsp) two pieces at a time, mixing after each until incorporated, 5 to 6 minutes in all.
Put the dough in an ungreased bowl and cover it so no surface is exposed, leaving room for it to rise by about half. Refrigerate 6 to 15 hours.
Roll it ½ inch thick and cut with a 3-inch round cutter, with no hole. Set the rounds on parchment-lined sheets, 2 inches apart.
Proof at room temperature for 2 to 2½ hours, until a gentle poke with a floured finger leaves a dent that slowly springs back halfway.
Heat the oil or lard to 375 to 385°F. Fry 2 or 3 at a time, 2 to 3 minutes a side, until deeply golden and blistered. Push 30 to 45 seconds past the point where they look done. Drain on a wire rack and cool completely before filling.
Fill the cooled donuts with Yolk-Heavy Pastry Cream, or split them and fill with Ermine Buttercream as for Viking Bakery Buttercream-Filled Donuts.

Notes

The original recipe proofs the cut rounds 2 to 3 hours, fries at 350°F and rolls the donuts in granulated sugar while they are warm.
Deep-orange custard. For the Hither-style filling, the pastry cream is 500 ml milk, 8 egg yolks, 100 g sugar, 40 g cornstarch and 30 g butter.