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Doughnuts.... Time to make the doughnuts!

cake diva's picture
cake diva

Doughnuts.... Time to make the doughnuts!

My husband woke up Saturday morning to an early morning show featuring the best doughnuts in the country.  So he announces he wants doughnuts for breakfast.  Unfortunately, doughnuts are not like pancakes or waffles that you can just whip up without notice.  He had to settle for sourdough (from starter scraps) waffles with fresh raspberries and cream and of course, bacon.  And then I got off to starting the doughnuts for next day's breakfast.

The recipe I used is Lightest Fluffiest Doughnuts from Country LIving.  Instead of manual kneading, I opted to use my Hobart N50.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup water, warmed to 110F
  • 4 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast (2 packets)
  • 3/4 cup + 1/4 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 cup sour cream (I used homemade Greek-style yogurt)
  • 2 large eggs + 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 1/2 cups AP flour
  • Glaze:  1/2 cup confectioners' sugar + 1 tbsp. whole milk

Directions:

To make the dough:

  1. Combine water, yeast and 1/4 tsp. sugar in large mixing bowl.
  2. After 5 minutes, add warm milk and oil and stir.
  3. Add the remaining sugar, sour cream, eggs, yolks, salt and vanilla and stir.
  4. Add the flour gradually.
  5. Using a dough hook, knead the dough at medium speed until you have a soft, smooth, shiny dough- about 6-8 minutes.  The dough is quite wet and will not completely clear the sides of the bowl to form a ball.
  6. Place dough in a large oiled container and cover.  Let rise at room temp. until doubled in size, about 2 hrs.
  7. After doubling, punch dough down, recover, and refrigerate for 2 up to 12 hrs.

To make the doughnuts:

  1. Turn the dough into a generously floured surface.
  2. Lightly flour the dough and roll out to about 3/4 inch thick.
  3. Cut doughnuts using a 3 inch cutter.  I used a 4-inch tumbler lid.

cutting doughnut rounds

      4.  Transfer rounds to a baking sheet.  Gather scraps, reroll, and repeat cutting doughnut rounds until all dough is used.

     5.  Chill doughnuts for 30 minutes before frying.

To fry the doughnuts:

  1. Heat about 4 inches of vegetable oil in a large deep skillet with a thermometer until oil reaches 350F.
  2. Fry doughnuts 3 at a time until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
  3. Remove doughnuts with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

To make the glaze:

  1. Combine glaze ingredients in a shallow bowl until smooth.
  2. Dip doughnuts while hot then transfer to wire rack to cool.
  3. Try different flavors like lemon, raspberry chambord (raspberry preserves + Chambord to thin), chocolate Kahlua sauce, etc...

glazed

Up close...

The requisite crumb shot...

doughnut crumb

Results:  Bite was like getting your teeth down into a soft pillow without collapsing like you would with those doughnut chains, texture was smooth and airy. mouth feel was substantive, flavor not too sweet which is how you would want it with the glaze on top, and simple, i.e., no added flavors, no hint of tang from the longish fermentation.  I'm sure this would be even better with the Kahlua chocolate sauce, or a fruity glaze like Raspberry-chamboard.  I give this recipe a thumbs up for its ease of making and deeply-satisfying results.

Comments

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Cake Diva, Beautiful Doughnuts!  Very nice write up and lovely photos!  Certainly deserves a front page!

Sylvia 

Green Tea's picture
Green Tea

Those look so delicious!

 

Pablo's picture
Pablo

Oh my God, then I really wouldn't be able to get through the door.  They look incredible.  I'll have to save this recipe for a really special day.

:-Paul

Amori's picture
Amori

A true inspiration....thanks for posting the recipe, plan on giving it a try!

Amori

summerbaker's picture
summerbaker

Awesome!  I'm definitely making these.  Thanks so much for posting the pictures, especially the one of the dough.  It really is wet!

Summer

audra36274's picture
audra36274

I cut them out and in the rise period before frying, I just left them on the counter, but when I pick them up to fry they deflate. I noticed you refrigerate. Do you suppose that is what will solve the problem? In bakeries I have noticed they rise and are slowly added to the oil without ever moving them. The tray and all goes in for a swim. Your post is the first I've seen calling for a cool down. You did a wonderful job. A good doughnut is hard to beat, and you outdid yourself. I will definately try your method.

                                                                                 Audra

cake diva's picture
cake diva

Audra,

Yes, I think the quick rest period in the fridge rather than the counter makes the dough more manageable.  Since this is a wet dough, I intuitively sprinkled a liberal dose of flour to the counter and on top of the dough while I was cutting them, before transfering  them to parchment-lined sheets and Silpat.  I gingerly pried them out to avoid deflation, but I noticed that even when deflated, they quickly sprang up in the frying pan. 

Do try the chocolate Kahlua sauce.  They hit the spot!  - cake diva

audra36274's picture
audra36274

    Yours look so light and fluffy. Yum, and I just happen to have a new bottle of Kahlua in the cabinet.

                                                                             Audra

StephaniePB's picture
StephaniePB

Hi!

I noticed you commented elsewhere on being able to delay this by refrigerating the dough. I took that to mean you can refrigerate before shaping/cutting.

I'm trying to reduce time on the next-day side of things, and am wondering if this would react like cinnamon rolls, which are fine with an overnight in the fridge if they are brought back to room temp before baking. I don't have to transfer cinnamon rolls to a fryer, though.

What do you think? I'm fairly novice when it comes to frying dough (far from novice with regular 'baking in an oven'), but have a special request I'm trying to fulfill.

Thanks!

Stephanie

zubo's picture
zubo

I wish i had read this a lot sooner...

 

I tried to make doughnuts using thee different recipes and in each case after the rise they tell you to nead the dough...

 

in every case my dough is a mass of wetness ... no way could i nead the dough so ive given up and thrown the mix away

 

also... im looking to fill each with a chocolate or raspberry and roll into a ball

 

ANY advice would be really welcome

 

thanks

george