How to make Doughnuts: Ring Doughnuts and Filled Doughnuts

Before we talk about the DIY process, let’s get ourselves acquainted with what Doughnuts really are and the common types of doughnuts. We all at some point have seen or eaten a doughnut, so what is a doughnut?

A doughnut which can be alternatively spelt as donut is a type of food made from leavened dough, traditionally, it is usually fried, but there are also baked variants of doughnuts. The dough can be made using two leavening agents, baking powder or yeast, doughnuts made with baking powder are referred to as cake doughnuts while doughnuts made with yeast are referred to as yeast doughnuts.

The most common doughnuts however are the deep fried doughnuts which usually comes in two popular types

1. The ring doughnut
2. The jelly or filled doughnut

The ring doughnut

The ring doughnuts come with holes in the middle which are formed by cutting out some dough from the middle using a dough cutter.

The Jelly or Filled doughnuts

The Jelly or filled doughnuts do not have holes in the middle and are usually injected with different fillings; jams, jelly, creams, etc. They cannot be made using the cake doughnut recipe, meaning jelly/filled doughnuts are basically yeast doughnuts.

Any of these types of doughnut can be glazed, frosted or creamed with different toppings and frosting.

How do you make soft and fluffy doughnuts?
Like it has been stated above, cake doughnuts and yeast doughnuts have similar ingredients, except for a few different ingredients that we will see below, the ring doughnut and the jelly doughnuts are made from the same ingredients. Measuring cups and spoons are however needed for accuracy in measurements.

Ingredients needed for Cake doughnut

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Sugar
• Salt
• Ground nutmeg
• Butter
• Milk
• Egg

Measurement (makes 8 – 10 doughnuts)

• 3 cups (381 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons (43 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm
• 1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Vegetable, canola, refined coconut oil, vegetable shortening, or peanut oil, for frying

Procedure for making cake doughnuts

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Combine butter and milk in a small bowl or measuring cup, and set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. If you don’t have a mixer and you’re using your hand, with a whisk, beat the eggs and sugar until thick and pale. Beat in the vanilla extract. On low speed, alternately add the flour mixture with the melted butter and milk, starting and ending with the flour. If you’re using your hand, add the flour mixture with the melted butter and milk, and fold it in with your hands, ending with the flour. The dough will be soft. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, or until the dough is firm enough to handle.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Roll the dough out into just over 1/4-inch thickness and cut with a doughnut cutter or with a large round cutter and a small cutter for the holes. Brush off any excess flour and place the doughnut shapes on a lightly floured parchment lined baking sheet. Cover and let the doughnuts sit at room temperature while you heat the oil.
4. Heat at least 1 1/2 inches of oil in a large and heavy pan to 350°F. Place three to four doughnuts in the oil at a time and fry until golden brown, about 1 minute or less per side (30 seconds for the holes). Do not overcook the doughnuts. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Ingredients needed for Yeast doughnut

• All-purpose flour
• Sugar
• Salt
• Ground nutmeg
• Butter
• Milk
• Egg
• Yeast

Measurement (Makes about 13-15 doughnuts)

• 3 cups all-purpose flour Plus 1/2 cup for kneading
• 1/3 cup Sugar
• 3/4 cup Milk
• 1 Tsp Nutmeg optional
• 1 Tbsp Yeast
• 2 Eggs
• 4 Tbsp Butter melted
• pinch Salt If using Unsalted Butter
• Oil Enough for deep frying

Procedure for making yeast doughnuts

The first thing we are going to do is make the doughnut dough. Warm your milk until it is about the temperature of a warm baby’s bottle – in other words, just hot enough for you to drink without scalding your mouth. (About 105F.) Yeast is actually alive and if you put it in milk that is too hot, you’ll kill it, which means no fluffy donuts.

Once your milk is warm, add it to your mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve, then add the yeast and let everything rest for 5 minutes. You have to give that yeast time to wake up.

Add the beaten eggs and melted butter to your yeast mixture and stir to combine. Then, with the mixer running slowly, add the flour and salt. Mix until the dough comes together. You can mix by hand or with a mixer.

If using a stand mixer, switch to your dough hook attachment and knead the dough for a full 5 minutes. If you are making the dough by hand, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. The dough should be thick and soft, but slightly sticky. (Add a little flour if it is very sticky)

For ring doughnuts, roll with a rolling pin and cut with a doughnut cutter, place on a parchment paper or buttered surface, leave to double in size

For jelly/filled doughnut, Cut into same sizes and mold into spherical shapes on a buttered surface or on parchment paper, leave to double in size.

To fry, put oil in a pan(About 2 to 3 inches) and leave to become hot, the right temperature is very important to get a perfectly cooked doughnut, ensure the oil is not too hot, and the heat is not too high, turn the doughnuts every 30 seconds until it is golden brown and fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

Measurements are very important when it comes to making soft and fluffy doughnuts. Hence, to get the desired result, ensure no ingredient is in excess.