The doughnut formula is basically a sweet dough; however, leavening and eggs are decreased and a combination of bread and general-purpose flours is used. A blend of general-purpose and bread flours produces a more tender texture and a shorter fermentation time than if all bread flour is used.

Doughnut formulas contain different percentages of sugar, shortening, and eggs; the greater amount used, the richer the dough. However, variations in richness for yeast-raised doughnuts do not extend over as wide a possible range as with cake doughnut formulas that tolerate larger quantities of sugar and eggs.

The sugar content in yeast-raised doughnuts controls, to some extent, the amount of browning and fat absorption during frying.

The quality of ingredients is just as important in doughnut production as it is in other yeast-raised items. Extreme care in mixing, fermentation, and makeup is essential to high-quality doughnut production.

Mixing

Mixing temperature should be controlled so that the dough leaves the mixer at 78F to 82F. The temperature of ingredients when mixed has a definite effect on the amount of fat absorbed during frying. Mixing time should be limited to 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Fermentation and Makeup

Mixed doughs should be immediately divided into uniform pieces, the size of which depends on the weight of the entire batch being made up. Follow recipe instructions for rolling and cutting, as thickness of dough and uniformity of doughnut size are extremely important to proper frying. If there are cracks in the dough, or if it is stretched unnecessarily, the dough will tend to absorb a greater amount of fat during frying.

CUTTING.- Doughnut cutters should be used carefully to prevent overlapping the cuts and wasting the dough. Reworked and rerolled dough can be used, but will not give cut doughnuts a smooth surface or an even brown color.

Doughnuts may be cut into various shapes. Other than the characteristic round shape without centers, there are long johns, crullers, and beignets.

Yeast-raised doughnuts are neither dispensed from a machine into frying fat nor mechanically cut because they require a short proofing period.

FRYING.- Recommended temperature of the fat is 375F for raised doughnuts. Make certain the correct temperature is used because doughnuts will soak up fat that is too cool and will brown before they are done if fat is too hot. To allow for expansion of dough and turning room, place cut doughnuts carefully in fry baskets one-half inch apart and lower into hot fat.

Normal fat absorption should be 2 to 3 ounces per dozen. This absorption is both desirable and necessary to create high-quality products. Grease soaking is undesirable, however, and is caused principally by undermining of dough, misshapen cuts and rough surfaces, and poor-quality fat used in the frying process. A fat-soaked doughnut is heavy, greasy tasting, and stales very rapidly.

Doughnuts removed from the fat should be thoroughly drained on racks or absorbent paper and cooled to 160F if glazed. If topped with coatings, doughnuts should be cooled to 72F (room temperature).