The Fresh Loaf

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Exploding doughnuts

goer's picture
goer

Exploding doughnuts

Trying to figure what happened exactly. I figure they burst from a sealed moisture content, but would like other opinions. Oil was at 365 which was thermometers recommended fry temp. for doughnuts. Drop a test one in and didn't suspect anything when grease mysteriously appeared on the stove top. First one turned out pretty good. So then I drop six in. They sunk the rose to the top. I flipped them and then went back to work rolling and cutting. Heard a pop. Went to the stove and quiet literally, BOOM! Grease flew all over me the kitchen everywhere. Then they all started popping. One even flew out. Dropped the heavy cast iron lid on the pot and it jumped. Finally wisked it all outside where it proceded to keep lifting the lid. Greatful I was wearing my glasses. Hands still hurt from the oil. What I want to know is does anyone know where I went wrong? Did flipping the doughnuts cause the problem, were they to wet/dry, grease too hot. What? Thanks

thomaschacon's picture
thomaschacon (not verified)

Just a guess, but I see this when deep drying larger pieces of food:

When placed in hot oil, the food heats outside-in. As the outer part of the food reaches 212 F/100 C, internal moisture turns to steam.

I don't know if the steam itself causes the popping or if the steam pushes other moisture out into the hot oil, causing the popping.

In your case, perhaps the steam pushed moisture upwards. When you flipped them over, that moisture would have been immediately exposed to the hot oil. Boom!

goer's picture
goer

I had wondered about that. Considering they sank then came to the top, but were still surrounded my grease shouldn't they have always been exposed to hot oil? To add to the story, these weren't a type of yeast doughnut either. They were mixed similar to hush puppies. Baking soda was used as a gasing agent I'm assuming. Other than that it was just flour, spices, salt, and water to make the dough.

 

On another note I noticed I can't see my post unless I'm logged in. Any idea why? Thanks

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

with the juice, after drying, treat again.   What a mess!  

Are the donuts suppose to rise first?  How deep was the oil?  

goer's picture
goer

No aloe for me, but thanks for the suggestion. They weren't a type of rising doughnut. Kind of like a hush puppy mix like I mention in an additional post just now. Oil was deep. They would sink to the bottom, actually brown a little on the cast iron, then float back up. Thanks

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

and never has one explode.  Recipe?  Baking pwd vs Soda!

goer's picture
goer

Same here. Recipe. 3 cups flour, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and water.

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

on the bottom of the pan?  Condense water maybe from a lid if reusing the oil?  Pour off the hot oil carefully to another pan.  Try not to keep the bottom oil.   

goer's picture
goer

Fresh oil this morning in a dry pan. I think Gerhard just let me in on what happened. It's a cake type doughnut and he says they cook at a lower temp. Thanks

goer's picture
goer

Baking soda. Missed that question. Sorry.

gerhard's picture
gerhard

So was it a cake type doughnut?  I have never had one explode but it you make a cake batter stiff enough to roll and cut you have to lower the temperature of the oil otherwise they tend break open in all sorts of weird places.  It is also important to have consistent thickness, not too thick otherwise you burn the exterior before the centre cooks and you get a oily crust.  It has been a long time since I made doughnuts but I think we fryed them at 375 for yeast and extruded cake doughnuts and it was either 325 or maybe even 300 for the table cut cake doughnuts.

Gerhard

goer's picture
goer

Yes it is a cake type. So according to your numbers I was about 60+/- degrees to hot. That's good information. I'll have to go back to the drawing board now. Course maybe I'll get an outside cooker too just in case they want to pop again. Still shaking my head over it all. Thanks Gerhard

gerhard's picture
gerhard

One more thought when we made this type of doughnut we would hold the screen so it just was below the oil's surface and wait for the doughnuts to release from the screen.  Then leave them float 30 40 seconds turn them and then submerge.  Doing it this way they all cracked on the bottom side and they would have golden crust with a lighter portion were they cracked and would look nice.

Gerhard

GermanFoodie's picture
GermanFoodie

yeast-based donuts, and I have always fried them at 356 F. None of them has ever exploded on me. Also, all of them contained egg, I'm assuming yours did, too?

goer's picture
goer

The lady that gave me this recipe seemed unsure of how all the ingredients went together. She has to be in her seventy's and she said here grandmother used to make them. She had the eggs, sugar, and shortening written down as a type of icing. Over the weekend I dug through a bread book I have and found a very similar recipe where the previous stuff listed was actually in the dough as opposed to water. Going to ask here again about the recipe then try it again only with bigger safety goggles in case I get grease bombs again. 

 

Thanks

goer's picture
goer

of the little buggers. First photos on TFL

 


 



 

 

goer's picture
goer

Hoping for just photos with no link. Maybe I don't like imageshack.

goer's picture
goer

tn gabe's picture
tn gabe

I can't imagine that just having the oil too hot could cause all that. The only thing I've ever seen that makes that kinda of a mess is large pieces of ice being dropped in fryer.

gerhard's picture
gerhard

I say it is too hot and possibly too much water in the batter. What is happening is that the crust has cooked to the point were it can no longer expand but the heat is just reaching the centre causing the baking powder to do it's magic but the crust is fighting the expansion so the pressure builds until you have a burst.

Heating oil the way you is very dangerous, just a few minutes of in attention and you could have a serious fire. It is also all but impossible to control the temperature.

Gerhard