ABOUT DONUT MAKING WITH QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

About Donut Making

All About Donut Making

ABOUT DONUT MAKING WITH QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 

When making yeast donuts (rings) will not rise, and are not fluffy?
I recommend increasing the yeast volume by 20% more than said recipe calls for, and then
- heat water temperature to 118F and incorporate H2o and yeast “Well”. Once incorporated,
immediately add dry ingredients. In addition, prepare your batch of yeast dough more lax, (As
to suggest thinner). Another consideration when troubleshooting donut recipes is salt. A large
quantity of salt in said recipe will retard the proofing process of yeast products.

Approximately how many cake donuts will you yield from 5 pounds of cake donut
batter

The Belshaw Type B. donut depositor, will dispense approximately 10 cake donuts at 1-1/2
ounces, per pound or 54 donuts at 5 pounds.

Approximately how many Yeast Donuts will you yield from 5 pounds of yeast donut
dough.

You will yield approximately 3 dozen donuts at 3 1/2 Oz, (each) with 1 pound of yeast donut
dough left over, to be used for apple fritters and cinnamon twists.

What oil do you recommend for making and frying donuts?
When practicing making donuts at home.  I recommend canola oil because canola oil has the
natural solid fats needed for the leavening of donuts when fried. When you open your donut shop
I recommend using any shortening that is solid at room temperature. In the last 20 years,  most
donut shops use hydrogenated vegetable oil (solid at room temperature). In an effort to eliminate
trans fat with trans-free alternatives? I recommend canola oil. Canola oil contains solid fat in its
natural state, making for superior donuts...  donuts that are not grease soaked or dry when fried,
due to a lack of trans fats. Therefore Canola oil is your best alternative to solid shortening.

How do I proof and fry yeast donuts after making donuts at home.
Using a sheet pan, place donuts on precut 4x4 squares of tinfoil. You can then proof the donuts
by covering the cut donuts with clear plastic for approximately 20 minutes. Then gently and
carefully slipped the donuts (using a spatula) into 365° oil making sure not to touch the donuts
and therefore expelling the gas (due to the fermentation process or leavening). Simultaneously
removing tinfoil from oil with tongs, “have container ready” Turn each donut after 40 seconds,
pull donuts after an additional 30 seconds.

My cake donuts are heavy and absorb oil.
Before frying cake donuts, I recommend allowing your cake donuts to rest 10 minutes after
mixing to allow leavening of cake batter dough. Leavening is the process of ingredients to split
into simpler substances. Allowing your cake batter to leavening ensures that baking soda/baking
powder have time to activate making for a light and airy cake donut. Other factors that affect the
end product of cake donuts is improper incorporation of dry ingredients. Whenever possible
completely sift all dry ingredients will incorporate with one another, (as to suggest infuse
together). The donut frying oil is another factor that can affect cake and yeast donuts, (see donut frying
oil).


My yeast donuts do not double in size when fried?
This may be due to the proofing process. The bakers goal prior to frying yeast donuts, is to
time when yeast dough has reached peak fermentation activity through all stages of the dough
fermentation process; I.E. bench fermentation time (Rest Time), loafing (Allow balls of dough to
double in size) and the proofing stage (before frying).



My yeast donuts severely blister when fried?
Allow donuts to rest 3-5 minutes after removing the yeast donuts from proof box. This will allow
excess moisture to dissipate from donuts prior to frying and is most likely the cause of blistering.

How do I test fry a donut before frying a whole screen?
I recommend test frying a individual yeast raised glaze donut prior to frying off, a whole screen
of donuts. Place one or two pieces of pre-cut tin foil (approximately 4” x4”) on frying screen and
carefully slipped individual donut into fryer, to check end-product result.

My yeast glazed raised donuts look like footballs! How do I know when I have
relaxed the yeast dough enough to cut donuts... what do I look for? 

When rolling your dough. You should start to feel the dough relaxing do to fermentation and the
process of rolling “rolling the dough potentates fermentation by creating additional heat.” aided
by stretching the dough 5 to 6 times and then, you should start to see very small gas pockets “as
to suggest bumps” in your dough. Your dough should be relax enough for cutting donuts.


My yeast donuts brown very quickly when frying, what am I doing wrong?
Premature browning of donuts is caused due to too much sugar in said recipe. Reduce sugar of
said recipe by half. As stated before: Another consideration when troubleshooting donut recipes
is salt. A large quantity of Salt and said recipe, will retard the proofing process of yeast products.

What size of donut cutter do I need for raised glazed rings.
Most donut cutters 3” in width. When
using a larger donut cutter (three-inch donut) I recommend rolling your donuts thinner, than if
you were using a 2 3/4 donut cutter.


What type of yeast should I use, dry or fresh?
Dry yeast is ideal “convenient” for small donut batches 3-5 pound batches and compacted “fresh”
yeast adds a distinct flavor with better yield for large batches.

What is the best way to fill a ring cake or yeast glazed donut?
With a jelly donut pump. Some donut makers when filling rings , choose to distinguish the filled
rings from regular rings by cutting square donuts and then, fill all sides of the donut. However
you decide to do them? Make sure to fill the donuts after they have been fried to reduce excess
abuse to donuts and fryer, (nothing breaks down donut shortening faster than fried jelly.).

At what temperature do you fry cake and yeast donuts?
Fry cake and yeast donuts @ 365-F°. Old-fashioned donuts and buttermilk bars are fried at 345° F.

After frying yeast donuts I have brown spots and blistering on donuts?
Brown spots can occur from 1 of 4 factors as noted below:
1. Over and/or under proofing of yeast donuts
2. An inadequate blending of ingredients and/or sifting of common inclusions i.e. in any
combination; baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. Inadequate frying temperature
4. Too much flour on yeast donuts when fried
5. Excess moisture on donut prior to frying, (Allow donuts to rest 5 minutes at room temperature
to remove excess moisture

How do I proof yeast donut without a proof box or proofing cabinet?
Using a sheet pan, place donuts on precut 4x4 squares of tinfoil. You can then proof the donuts
by covering the cut donuts with clear plastic for approximately 20 minutes.

Why do glazes and icings become sticky and break down?
The reason most donut shops produce less than desirable glazes and icings that tend to become
sticky and break down do to sweating (Not desirable for donut wholesale and/or shelf life) is
because the bakers tend to add ingredients that are hygroscopic such as honey, molasses and
dairy products that help retain moisture in the glazes and icings but these ingredients also draw
additional moisture from the air, (Also, candies made with hygroscopic sweeteners will draw moisture from the air and will become sticky too).. Because they are hygroscopic. I have adapted

My donut glazes and icings to shell the donut for improved shelf life.

Donut Recipes And High Altitude
Cake and yeast donuts are mainly affected by high altitude due to the low gluten (protein)
flour used in making donuts; such as pastry flour. Most bakers adjust for high altitude baking
by preparing the batter and/or dough thinner. However -thinning a cake donut batter can be
problematic because the donuts, when fried, tend to lose volume and absorb oil. I have found by
adding high gluten flour to the soft flour such as; wheat flour will stabilize the cake donut batter
when thinned. As an example? A 5 pound batch of cake donuts will benefit fromhalf a pound of
high gluten flour. When preparing yeast donuts at high altitude? I recommend adding a dough
conditioner to lessen the pH levels within the yeast dough; thereby improving the fermentation
process needed for yeast donuts.


The Powder Sugar melts on the cake donuts
For starters do NOT use Satin Confectioner Sugar (Powder Sugar). The sugar grains are pulverized
to fine for powder cake donuts. Place cake donuts you intent to powder sugar on a large bakers
pan or screen, to include a paper towel. Allow the cake donuts to completely cool and time for
the paper towel to absorb any excess oil. When donuts are completely cool utilize a misting bottle
set to a very fine mist. Mist cake donuts and powder sure. By misting the cake donuts powder
sugar will adhere to cake donuts forming a foundation for the powder sugar to stick too. Success!

What is dough conditioner and why use it for donut making?
Dough conditioner is used to make a lighter, moister, yeast dough. It lowers the pH for better yeast
growth, retards staling, and improves gluten development. Dough conditioners are proprietary
products and each is different.

What donuts require docking and how much do you dock the donuts?
The only donuts that need docking are shells and bars. Yeast raised glazed donuts do not require
docking “Ever”. When docking a freshly rolled dough for shells and bars; completely dock the
dough, paying attention to preventing the docker from penetrating through the dough, (if you
over dock your dough, donuts will collapse when fried or ice.).



How often do I change fryer shortening oil?
That depends on the volume of donuts fried daily, weekly and monthly. Generally as a best
practice. I recommend filtering the fryer shortening weekly (This will save you money) and
completely clean the fryer well and replace shortening approximately every 1 -1/2 months
depending upon 1 of 3 factors.

If shortening is foaming when donuts are placed in fryer, this is a sign of the shortening
breaking down, replace shortening, unless - You are using anti-foaming donut shortening
available on the market, so... use caution and good judgment if using this shortening.).

Shortening that has significant smoke when heated to 365F, when NO donuts are currently
being fried. This is a sign of abundant donut fried particles in shortening that contributes to
shortening breaking down.

Donuts, when fried form a thick crust and takes a abnormal amount of frying time, than
recommended said recipe calls for. The shortening may have lost all capacity to leavening the
donut ingredient inclusions. Change shortening.

What is butterlean?
Butterlean is concentrated artificial butter flavoring. I utilize Butterlean in place of dairy
products, such as butter, to increase the shell, and in return the shelf life of donuts. When dairy
products introduced and incorporated into donut places and icings will contribute to the icing
and/or donut glazes, to break down faster. This is not acceptable for donut wholesale, because the
customer does not want a donuts with icings and glazes, that are sticky.

When I finish cutting yeast raised “rings” donuts. Do I place them in the proof box right away,
or wait until I have cut all my donuts? 
Place the donuts into the proof box immediately upon filling the individual frying screen with
the maximum amount of donuts, the individual frying screen will allow. A 24x24 frying screen
will hold approximately 24 donuts. Continue placing frying screens with donuts into the proof
box, upon cutting the maximum amount of donuts the individual frying screen will hold. In
doing so, you will continue the proofing process to achieve peak fermentation activity prior to
frying yeast doughnuts.

Immediately upon cutting yeast raised donuts and/or any donut (such
as a bear claw, Apple fritter etc.,) Place donuts into proof box - right away, take note to the time
you placed your first screen of donuts into the proofing cabinet. Approximately 20 minutes later, tests fry an individual donut, taken from the first screen of donuts, (you can precut a 4x4 piece
of tinfoil, lightly floured and gently and carefully slipped the donut into 365° oil with attention
to NOT expelling gas from the donut). 


Please see article: A How To About Donut Making