Yeast Donuts (Daring Bakers) (Food and Whine)

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Yeast Donuts (Daring Bakers)

October 27, 2010

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The October 2010 Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Lori of Butter Me Up. Lori chose to challenge DBers to make doughnuts. She used several sources for her recipes including Alton Brown, Nancy Silverton, Kate Neumann and Epicurious.

Just under the wire, I'm sharing the donuts I made for this month's Daring Bakers challenge. (I would have been earlier if it hadn't been for that inconvenient 6 hour, wind induced power outage!). I've made donuts before but I'm always up to make more! I chose Alton Brown's yeast donut recipe for this challenge, since Alton has never let me down.

I had already read that the dough was really wet, so I just went with it and resisted the urge to add more flour when mixing. By the time it had finished it's first rise, it was perfectly rollable on a well-floured surface. That said though, the dough is very soft and while easy to cut, it was difficult to move off the counter and into the fryer without it becoming a wonky shape. I may try refrigerating the dough on a baking sheet before frying next time.

Despite all that, these were fabulous donuts! They were incredibly light and not greasy at all. In fact, after frying my dozen donuts, it seemed like I ended with the same amount of oil I started with.

I halved the recipe below and ended up with an even dozen donuts. Donuts really don't keep well, so unless you're feeding a crowd or freezing them, you may wish to make a smaller batch. (I did halve the yeast as well. Not sure if I was supposed to do that but 2 packages of yeast seemed like a lot for 2 cups of flour.)

I made several different kinds of donuts, including the raspberry jelly filled and donut holes (or Timbits :) pictured above, some sugar and cinnamon ones and my personal favourite, chocolate buttercream iced (a basic cocoa/butter/icing sugar/splash of milk frosting).

Thanks for the great challenge, Lori. It was yummy!

Yeast Donuts

Adapted from Alton Brown
Yield: 20 to 25 doughnuts & 20 to 25 doughnut holes, depending on size

ingredients

Milk 1.5 cup / 360 ml
Vegetable Shortening 1/3 cup / 80 ml / 70 gm / 2.5 oz (can substitute butter, margarine or lard)
Active Dry Yeast 4.5 teaspoon (2 pkgs.) / 22.5 ml / 14 gm / 1/2 oz
Warm Water 1/3 cup / 80 ml (95°F to 105°F / 35°C to 41°C)
Eggs, Large, beaten 2
White Granulated Sugar 1/4 cup / 60 ml / 55 gm / 2 oz
Table Salt 1.5 teaspoon / 7.5 ml / 9 gm / 1/3 oz
Nutmeg, grated 1 tsp. / 5 ml / 6 gm / 1/4 oz
All Purpose Flour 4 2/3 cup / 1,120 ml / 650 gm / 23 oz + extra for dusting surface
Canola Oil DEPENDS on size of vessel you are frying in – you want THREE (3) inches of oil (can substitute any flavourless oil used for frying)

method

Place the milk in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat just until warm enough to melt the shortening. (Make sure the shortening is melted so that it incorporates well into the batter.)

Place the shortening in a bowl and pour warmed milk over. Set aside.

In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let dissolve for 5 minutes. It should get foamy. After 5 minutes, pour the yeast mixture into the large bowl of a stand mixer and add the milk and shortening mixture, first making sure the milk and shortening mixture has cooled to lukewarm.

Add the eggs, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and half of the flour. Using the paddle attachment of your mixer (if you have one), combine the ingredients on low speed until flour is incorporated and then turn the speed up to medium and beat until well combined.

Add the remaining flour, combining on low speed at first, and then increase the speed to medium and beat well.

Change to the dough hook attachment of the mixer and beat on medium speed until the dough pulls away from the bowl and becomes smooth, approximately 3 to 4 minutes (for me this only took about two minutes). If you do not have a dough hook/stand mixer – knead until the dough is smooth and not sticky.

Transfer to a well-oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 3/8-inch (9 mm)thick. (Make sure the surface really is well-floured otherwise your doughnuts will stick to the counter).

Cut out dough using a 2 1/2-inch (65 mm) doughnut cutter or pastry ring or drinking glass and using a 7/8-inch (22 mm) ring for the centre whole. Set on floured baking sheet, cover lightly with a tea towel, and let rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 365 °F/185°C.

Gently place the doughnuts into the oil, 3 to 4 at a time. Cook for 1 minute per side or until golden brown.

Transfer to a cooling rack placed in baking pan. Allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes prior to glazing, if desired.

Tags: Daring Kitchen, donuts, recipes,

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Comments

I loved your pics so much, I had to see if we used the same recipe. Very delicious looking post!

Cathy/ShowFoodChef on October 27, 2010 11:00 PM

Great donuts!! Your photos are lovely. I'm in Ontario too thankfully our lights were just flickering and didn't actually go out! 6 hours is a long time to be without power - glad you've got it back on!

So Very Domestic on October 27, 2010 11:16 PM

Thanks Cathy. I'll definitely use Alton's recipe again!

Thanks May. I was glad to see the power back. The winds were fierce here. Wasn't really surprised to see it go :)

Jen on October 28, 2010 6:49 AM

Yes I had the same experience as you with the oil that is the doughnuts didn't seem to absorb any at all. And yes if you refrigerate the cut-out dough on the baking tray it will firm up so transference will be easier. Cheers from Audax in Sydney Australia.

Audax Artifex on October 28, 2010 7:59 AM

Thanks Audax. I'll definitely try refrigerating the dough. I was very impressed with the lack of oil transfer to the donuts. Made me feel less guilty eating them ;)

Jen on October 28, 2010 8:08 AM

As usual - a fabulous job on the challenge! Your doughnuts look delicious and your chocolate buttercream frosting made me drool! :)

Erin on October 28, 2010 10:49 AM

Thanks Erin! I was inspired by a bakery we used to visit when I was a kid. They always frosted their donuts with chocolate buttercream and this was a great memory I got to re-live with this challenge.

Jen on October 28, 2010 11:16 AM

Your doughnuts look wonderful--love the thick chocolate on the one, and who could turn down a Timbit or 12?

Mary on October 28, 2010 6:31 PM

Those are some seriously gorgeous shots of some seriously gorgeous doughnuts!
Way to go!

Kat on October 28, 2010 9:18 PM

these doughnuts look amazing! i want that chocolate doughnut right now... they all looks delicious!

becky on October 28, 2010 10:36 PM

Thanks so much Mary, Kat and Becky. I think I might just have to make more this weekend ;)

Jen on October 29, 2010 4:13 PM

love the pic of half bitten donuts :) alton browns recipe is great.

Nadia on October 30, 2010 10:27 AM

Thanks Nadia. I confess, I took that bite (but hubby ate the rest ;)

Jen on October 30, 2010 12:58 PM

Lovely doughnuts!!

Apu on November 2, 2010 12:05 PM

Thanks Apu.

Jen on November 2, 2010 1:30 PM

SO glad to see your blog get the attention it deserves! I haven't been able to do the DB/DC challenges for awhile. Fun to live vicariously through your post!

Ninette on November 10, 2010 11:06 PM

Thanks so much, Ninette. I think these donuts were one of my favourite DB challenge so far. Hope you get a chance to try them some time. Happy to provide a vicarious donut for you, though :)

Jen on November 11, 2010 6:51 AM

Hi there! Made these with my son tonight. We added about a third cup of flour to my kitchen-aid kneading before I recalled your comment about the dough being wet. I added more flour while when I took it out of the bowl to hand knead about six turns and it went totally silky and cooperative. We used generous flour when we rolled/patted the dough out for cutting, had the second rise on flour speckled sheets, and refrigerated for 20 minutes or so per advice here before frying. We had no trouble at all. Disaster only loomed when trying to fill the donuts with jelly! So we had a sticky time and SOME jelly got in the donuts! I thought those ones were the best ones. I found the donuts themselves a little tasteless - even with lots of freshly grated nutmeg. I might try adding vanilla next time we make these - and I'm sure we will as the kids had a blast delivering them to all the neighbours! No complaints from anyone else - just me. So I got to clean the chocolate glaze bowl too! Thanks for a fun night!

Christine on January 16, 2011 11:53 PM

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