If the donut collapses when touched, it is overproofed. Frying -- Proper temperature of the shortening is 375° F (190.5° C). Allow donuts to dry off at least five minutes before frying. Let the underside attain a golden brown color (55 to 60 seconds) then turn and finish the second side.
Is A Baked Donut Recipe Healthier Than A Recipe For Fried Donuts? Yes, they definitely are. A typical fried glazed donut will be around 269 calories, while a baked donut will have much fewer. The difference is the fact that you won't be dealing with any extra fat from the oil from frying when you bake.
Fry the Doughnuts
If using an electric deep-fat fryer, heat the oil to 365°F according to the manufacturer's directions. Or, in a heavy, deep large saucepan, heat the oil to 365°F.
Proofing Give donuts ¾ proof, approximately 30 – 40 minutes with just enough moisture to prevent crusting, allow donuts to dry 5 – 10 minutes before frying.
Test by gently touching side of donut with fingertip. If it leaves a faint impression, donut is ready; if it leaves no impression, it is not proofed yet; if donut collapses, it is overproofed. Dry donuts after proofing for at least 10 minutes, or they will absorb frying shortening while frying.
If the bench time is too long, volume could be lost in the proofing process; the donuts will shrink during frying; the texture will be coarse; and the flavor will not be up to your standards.
Press down the dough on the work surface and roll into a rectangle that's about 9 by 10 1/2 inches; the slab should be about 1/2-inch thick. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
What happens when a dough is over-proofed? The donuts may have coarse, open grain, poor shape, blistered or ruptured crusts, excessive frying shortening absorption, low volume, pale crust and poor keeping qualities.
Over-kneaded dough can become very hard to work with and produce a more flat and chewy bread. It's vital to stop mixing at the first signs of over-kneading, as a fully over-kneaded dough cannot be fixed.
The Poke Test – Give that ball of dough a firm poke with your finger. If the indentation fills back quickly, you're good to go. If it stays looking like a deep dimple, continue kneading.
Like most doughnuts, Krispy Kremes are fried (cooked in oil). Frying cooks the dough rapidly from the outside in to give the doughnuts their distinctive crispy texture. The conveyer belt carries the doughnuts through a vegetable oil bath heated to between 355 and 360 degrees Fahrenheit (about 180 C).
Use bread flour – the key ingredient in this recipe, for soft doughnuts, is bread flour. Using bread flour guarantees that your doughnut will come out fluffy. Know your yeast – Follow the steps in the recipe notes if using active dry yeast.
If you don't have a thermometer, test the temperature with a single doughnut hole. If it immediately sizzles and rises to the surface, the oil is ready. Adding the doughnuts to the hot oil will cause the oil temperature to drop.
Knead the dough for about 5 - 7 minutes until you have a soft, shiny, slightly tacky dough. Check if the dough is kneaded well with the window pane test. Knead the dough for a couple of minutes in your hands till you have a smooth dough ball.
Many donut recipes will call for oil instead of butter because oil is liquid at room temperature, while butter is solid, which means oil will make a more moist donut with a more tender mouthfeel than a butter-based donut.
All-purpose flour works well for doughnuts since it has a moderate amount of gluten–the binding protein commonly used in baking. This gluten content helps create a dough that is strong enough to trap air, which helps create the fluffy doughnut texture we all love.
Loaves made with over-kneaded dough often end up with a rock-hard crust and a dense, dry interior. Slices will be very crumbly, especially toward the middle.
Dough CPR. Step 1: Perform the fingertip test to make sure your dough is overproofed. The test involves gently pressing your finger into the surface of the dough for 2 seconds and then seeing how quickly it springs back. The dent you make will be permanent if the dough is overproofed.
Doughnuts all begin with dough. If you're making yeast-raised doughnuts (pictured) you'll want to make the dough the night before and chill it overnight first. When you're ready to begin, remove the dough from the fridge, dust with flour, and press the dough out flat on a floured surface.
What kind of oil is best for cooking donuts? The best oil is the one with the least flavour. Vegetable oil and canola oil are both very good in this respect. The most important thing is to use the same oil for the same kinds of foods, since oil readily absorbs flavours and aromas.
Allowing dough to rise twice results in a finer gluten structure than allowing it to rise once. It results in a smaller crumb and prevents huge gaping airholes in your bread. The reason that you have to let it re-rise is that you just pushed all the air out with the kneading you did developing that gluten structure.
Flavor and fragrance ought to be distinctive, well-balanced - sweet but not cloying - and appealing enough to demand a second bite. If it's a raised donut, a whiff of yeastiness promises authentic, old-fashioned goodness.
Dough will feel “tight” and tough, as the gluten molecules have become damaged, meaning that it won't stretch, only break, when you try to pull or roll it. Underworked dough on the other hand, won't form a ball shape easily. As gluten molecules haven't developed yet, the dough flops and also tears.
If you peter out and don't knead your dough enough by hand, or if you don't allow it enough time in your mixer, the dough will lack strength.