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Prepare Ingredients and Activate Yeast:
- Measure all the ingredients for the doughnuts.
- Place the flour in a large bowl.
- In a separate 2-cup measuring cup, heat the milk to 110°F (warm to the touch but not hot).
- If your kitchen is cool, preheat your oven to create a warm proofing environment for the dough later.
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Make the Strawberry Filling (Optional):
- In a mini food processor, combine the freeze-dried strawberries and sugar until finely ground.
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the strawberry mixture with the strawberry jam until it thickens to a jam consistency. Let it cool completely before using.
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Activate the Yeast:
- Combine 1 cup of the flour, 1 tablespoon of the yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk these dry ingredients together.
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Wet Ingredients and Sponge Dough:
- Add half of the warm milk (1/2 cup) and use a spatula to mix it with the dry ingredients until there are no lumps. This creates a starter dough called a sponge.
- Let the sponge sit for 15 minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
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Mixing the Dough:
- Add all the remaining doughnut ingredients (except the butter) to the stand mixer bowl with the sponge dough.
- Using the paddle attachment, mix everything until the flour is completely incorporated with the wet ingredients.
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Kneading the Dough:
- Switch the attachment to the dough hook and gradually add the softened butter in 3 pieces.
- Once all the butter is incorporated, increase the speed to medium and knead the dough until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a smooth, elastic ball.
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First Rise:
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for 30 seconds to achieve a smooth and uniform texture.
- Place the kneaded dough on a floured half baking sheet, cover it loosely with a tea towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
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Shaping the Doughnuts:
- Divide the risen dough into 15 equal pieces, each weighing about 80 grams.
- Gently roll each piece into a ball.
- Place the balls of dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 3 inches of space between them to allow for further rising.
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Second Rise:
- Cover the shaped doughnuts loosely with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let them rise for another 30-45 minutes, or until they reach 2-3 times their original size.
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Frying the Doughnuts:
