In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 2 cups warm water, proof for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of flour to the yeast mixture, whisk to incorporate. Add in the milk and eggs. When fully mixed, add in the other 2 cups of flour. Batter should be thick but not solid, if necessary, thin with more water. Whisk in vanilla. Cover and let rise for about 2 hours.
For the syrup, in a small pot mix together the honey, sugar, and water and bring to a boil, turn down and simmer until completely dissolved and keep warm.
Heat the oil to 360 degrees and with a large spoon, drop the batter into the hot oil. It will immediately puff and come to the surface. When golden brown on both sides, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Drizzle with warm syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve immediately.
Budino in Italian means pudding but this is more like a molten cake, moist and almost gooey in the middle when served warm from the oven. I like to serve the budino with a scoop of homemade Banana Chocolate-Chunk Ice Cream (in my cookbook, Cooking From the Hip), but it's also great with creme anglaise and fresh raspberries or strawberries.
