Doughnuts

Regardless of how you spell doughnuts (or donuts), I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone that doesn’t love them. What can I tell you about doughnuts? I’ve heard lots of stories from my students saying “My doughnuts are always doughy”, or greasy, overcooked, bubbly or tough. I can help you sort that out.

First, let’s talk about the ingredients for doughnuts:

I’ve included one of my pastry chef recipes, and I’ve made some adjustments as the original recipe has ingredients that are a little hard to come by from the local supermarket.

• Milk: I use full cream milk here, after all they’re doughnuts not celery sticks.? You’ll need to warm the milk for the stand mixer method, we’re looking for 37 – 40°C to help speed up the yeast.
• Dry yeast: You won’t need any more than a tsp, as you’re not looking for a really puffy dough.
• Baker’s flour: Plain flour can be used, althoughg I prefer the texture that baker’s flour brings.
• Coconut oil: I’ve added this to give tenderness to the crumb without adding extra water (as would occur if we just used butter).
• Salt: Salt is used to retard the yeast and to add flavour. Make sure you use half the quantity of fine to flaked. (3g = 1 tsp of flaked salt or 3 g = 1/2 tsp of fine salt)
• Sugar: Sugar of course is used for sweetness, and it also helps with the browning of the doughnut’s surface.
• Malt powder or bread improver: I like to use malt powder, I’ve got links to where you can source it (or make it) in my Free Thermomix Tips and Techniques Course.

Don’t want to deep or shallow fry?

Why not make these cupcakes that taste like doughnuts. They really do!

Tips for making Doughnuts:

1. If you are new to making doughnuts, my suggestion is to make ring doughnuts and master them before going to round jam-filled.  Making ring doughnuts will avoid many of the issues listed below.
2. This dough isn’t like your standard fluffy white bread dough.  We’re not looking for it to double in size, but we are looking for puffy.  Don’t overproof your doughnuts, as this results in big bubbles.  Then when the doughnuts are placed into the oil, these big bubbles capture oil, making them heavy and greasy.
3. Knocking back and resting allows for even proving and better flavour.
4. If you want to make the dough one day and cook them off the next, I would use 1/2 as much yeast and set them in the fridge overnight.  Make sure you’ve left enough space for the dough to expand.
5. Do not overproof.  I know I’ve said it twice now. I’m just making sure you’re listening. ??? How do you tell?  Press your finger gently into the dough. If it creates an indentation which disappears immediately (or bounces back when you remove your finger), then the dough is not done yet (ie. its under proofed).  If the indentation bounces back a little, and a small dint is left behind, then it’s ready to fry.  However, if the indentation leaves a big dint with nothing bouncing back, then it has been over-proofed.  To remedy this, the only thing you can do is ball up the dough and place it in the fridge; you’ll need to chill it all the way through (which might take a couple of hours) and start the process of portioning and balling up again.
6. Stopping your doughnuts from being doughy inside is all about the oil temperature.  Too hot, and the outside cooks off and sets before the inside can puff up and cook.
7. Greasy doughnuts can be because of the issues I’ve mentioned above, but also by using oil that’s not hot enough.  I like 175 – 185°C.  Remember that when you add your dough to the oil, the temperature will drop so don’t crowd the pan with too many doughnuts.  They only take a minute on each side to cook.  If it’s taking much longer to cook, then your oil is too cool. If it’s much faster, then it’s too hot.  Hmmm I just thought duhh. ?
8. If you are new to making doughnuts, make the ones with a hole in the middle.  They’re a lot easier to get right first off.  I don’t roll out my dough and cut shapes out, just ball it up and make a hole with your fingers.  Too easy.
9. We use baking paper to sit our doughnuts on as they prove.  This will prevent damage as you lift them and place them into the oil.  Much easier to keep a nice shape.  
10. Tough doughnuts are from overworking the dough and under proving.
11. You don’t need loads of oil, I use a shalow frypan.

A quick (really) video on how my doughnuts come together….

Doughnuts

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becs-table.com.au

Do you know anyone that doesnt like doughnuts? These are quicker and easier than you think, and you don't have to fill a big pot with oil.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 22 minutes mins

Difficulty Medium

Course Dessert, Lunch Box Treat, Party food

Cuisine American

Servings 9

Method Thermomix and Conventional

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• 1 Thermomix or Stand Mixer

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 170 g Milk Full cream warm the milk for stand mixer method
• 1 tsp dry yeast
• 300 g Baker’s flour
• 30 g coconut oil
• 3 g Salt 1 tsp of flaked salt or 1/2 tsp of fine salt
• 45 g Sugar
• 1 tsp 3.6gm bread improver or malt powder

Instructions

 

TM Method

• Weigh the milk and yeast into the TM bowl set 4 mins/37°C/speed 1
• Weigh in the remainder of the ingredients as listed.
• Mix 5 sec/speed 5
• Scrape down the TM bowl, then set to knead 3 mins.
• Remove the dough from the TM bowl and round up.
• Place in a covered bowl and rest in a warm place for 30 minutes to 1 hour. *See tips
• Remove from the bowl, Knock back and remould
• Rest again for a further 15 minutes
• Scale off at 60g balls
• Round up (shape into balls), then with your fingers work a hole in the centre of each ball to make a ring donut.
• Sit them on small squares of baking paper Allow them to rest for at least 15 minutes while your oil is coming to temperature.
• Don’t cover them this time, this is called letting them skin up. Do not over-prove *see tips
• Fry at 180°c the temperature is crucial for them to cook properly. *see tips
• Remove once golden brown, allowing them to drain on absorbent paper.
• Roll doughnuts in cinnamon sugar

Conventional Method

• Add all the ingredients to the stand mixer bowl in order of the ingredient list.
• Mix then knead for 5 minutes in your stand mixer with a dough hook.
• The dough should be smooth not sticky
• Place in a covered bowl and rest in a warm place for 30 minutes to 1 hour
• Remove from the bowl, Knock back and remould
• Rest again for a further 15 minutes
• Scale off at 60g balls
• Round up (shape into balls), then with your fingers work a hole in the centre of each ball to make a ring donut.
• Sit them on small squares of baking paper Allow them to rest for at least 15 minutes while your oil is coming to temperature.
• Don’t cover them this time, this is called letting them skin up. Do not over-prove *see tips
• Fry at 180°c the temperature is crucial for them to cook properly. *see tips
• Remove once golden brown, allowing them to drain on absorbent paper.
• Roll doughnuts in cinnamon sugar

Notes

The idea of sitting your dough onto baking paper squares is to help keep their shape while placing them into the oil.  Once you gently place the doughnut on the baking paper into the oil, within a few seconds you can use a pair of tongs to remove the paper and your doughnuts will be perfectly round.