Donut-Making Tips: Yeast-Raised Donuts (2024)

Preparing Yeast-Raised Donuts

  1. Mixing -- Put water into bowl first, crumble yeast into water, then add mix. Mix dough until it is pliable and dry to the touch. Dough should pull clean away from the sides of the bowl when properly developed.
  2. Dough Temperature -- Ideal temperature is between 78° to 82° F (25.6° to 27.8° C). Dough temperature that is too hot will ferment too fast, have poor texture and grain and have a darker than normal color when fried.
  3. Fermentation -- Defined as: a period of time to allow a chemical change activating the living organism (yeast or bacteria), that is, allowing it time to feed and grow, thus producing a leavening gas. Dough should be fermented in the mixing, at room temperature, and away from drafts. Allow dough to come up to about two or three times its original bulk. This time should be from ¾ to 1½ hours.
  4. Rolling and Cutting -- Block the dough into several small pieces. Use as little dusting flour as possible. Roll dough gently so as to not tear the surface. Cut with an even, solid pressure. Sweep away excess flour.
  5. Proofing -- Proof box should be 95° to 100° F (35° to 37.8° C), with sufficient humidity to prevent crusting. When touched, a properly proofed donut will hold an indentation without collapsing. If the indentation returns to the surface, the donut is underproofed. If the donut collapses when touched, it is overproofed.
  6. Frying -- Proper temperature of the shortening is 375° F (190.5° C). Allow donuts to dry off at least five minutes before frying. Let the underside attain a golden brown color (55 to 60 seconds) then turn and finish the second side. Remember, when grease drains off the donut, it will be darker in color.
  7. Glazing -- Fresh glaze should be made daily using honey glaze as a stabilizer. Allow donuts to drain about one minute, then glaze immediately.
  8. Finishing and Cooling -- After frying, donuts should be allowed to cool away from drafts, and on screens, at room temperature. They should then be filled and iced as soon as possible and put into a closed showcase or packaged.

Troubleshooting Raised Donuts

  • For bench type production, is there a good rule for dough temperature? For a 1 gallon (3.8 liter) dough, a temperature of 80° to 82° F (26.7° to 27.8° C); for a larger dough, 76° to 78° F (24.4° to 25.6° C) is suggested to allow for a longer make-up time.
  • What will happen if my dough temperature is 85° to 90° F (29.4° to 32.2° C) ? The dough will ferment more rapidly, and there is a chance that the dough will "gas out," or age too quickly, before make-up is complete. This can cause low volume, high grease absorption, light crust color, and poor shelf life.
  • What will happen if my dough is too cold? The rate of fermentation is greatly slowed down -- longer make-up time is necessary to avoid working a "young dough." In some cases, proofing times will have to be extended to avoid low volumes and blistering.
  • What is the best way to mix a yeast-raised dough? Place all ingredients into the mixing bowl, add water, and mix in low speed with a dough hook until water in incorporated (one to two minutes). Mix in medium speed for two minutes to clean up (normally 10 to 15 minutes total). Dough should have a smooth, not tacky, feel.
  • How should dough be fermented? The dough may be fermented in the mixing bowl, or a machine bowl, if a regular dough room or trough is not available. Be sure to protect dough from drafts. Use a constant room temperature of 80° to 85° F (26.7° to 29.4° C) with sufficient humidity to prevent the doughs from crusting.
  • What are the characteristics of a properly fermented dough? The dough should be fermented until is it between two and three times its original bulk. The exact time may be between 1 to 1½ hours, depending on the shop routine and shop conditions. Usually the dough will recede when slight pressure is applied to the top center area of the dough.
  • What special precautions should be observed when rolling the dough? Avoid excessive dusting flour. Brush flour off before proofing. Raw flour on the surface of donuts affects the frying shortening adversely. Roll small donuts on a slightly dusted bench cloth. Do not rupture the donut surface.
  • At what temperature should dough be proofed? Proof at 95° to 100° F (35° to 37.8° C). Humidity should be between 80 percent and 85 percent.
  • What are the characteristics of a properly proofed dough? When lightly touched, a properly proofed dough retains an impression formed by the finger but does not collapse. A young or underproofed dough is tough, elastic and springy, and retains no impression when touched. An old or overproofed dough retains the impression of the finger and may even collapse.
  • What happens if the donut is underproofed? The dough will not have the desired expansion. The cells will be small and the structure tighter than if properly proofed, and the keeping quality will be poor.
  • What happens when a dough is over-proofed? The donuts may have coarse, open grain, poor shape, blistered or ruptured crusts, excessive frying shortening absorption, low volume, pale crust and poor keeping qualities.
  • What is the correct frying temperature for yeast-raised donuts? Fry at about 375° to 380° F (190.6° to 193.3° C). Donuts brown too rapidly and may have raw or doughy centers if fried in fat that is too hot. Donuts fried in colder shortening brown too slowly and absorb excessive frying shortening.
  • When should glaze be applied to yeast-raised donuts? Drain donuts for about one minute until excess shortening has run off. Then glaze evenly.
  • What is the best way to prevent glazed donuts from "weeping?" Make sure that your dough does not have an excessive amount of water mixed with it. Do not under-fry -- this gives the donut a little darker, thicker crust. Make sure cooling time prior to glazing is correct -- if it's too hot your glaze will run off the donut. If it's too cold, your glaze will not adhere. Then glaze down with a simple syrup, not water. Check to see if icing conditioners or driers are being used correctly and in recommended quantities.
  • What factors affect symmetry? A slack dough, excessive dusting flour, careless rolling and cutting, overproofing or fermentation and proofing temperatures that are too high contribute to poor symmetry or shape.
  • What contributes to poor volume? Poor volume will result when the dough is not fermented or proofed enough or when dough is chilled by a draft during fermenting or proofing.
  • What special care should be given to frying shortening? The shortening foams vigorously when frying yeast donuts because they yield a large amount of carbon dioxide gas and some alcohol. This dislodges small pieces of dough and particles of dusting flour which float off into the shortening and are carbonized or burned. These conditions make it doubly necessary to drain and strain the frying shortening daily to remove the burned particles. Avoid overheating the shortening. Use a temperature controlled kettle.
  • Why do my yeast-raised products have a tendency to collapse occasionally? Your dough may have too much age -- don't mix more dough than you can handle within suggested time guidelines. Don't add too much scrap dough back in at once (20 percent is a good guide). Don't overproof or proof too wet as this will weaken the structure of your products.
  • Why do my yeast-raised products vary in size and shape after they are cut? Be sure to fully shrink your dough piece after pinning it out. Unless the dough is completely relaxed, it will shrink and become misshapen as it is cut. When rolling out the dough, try to get the entire piece down to a uniform thickness (usually ¼" to ½", or 6.4 mm to 1.3 cm, thick). Be sure that your dough is developed enough, and dry enough, so that it is not easily misshapen when cut pieces are transferred to screens or cloths. Care must be taken to use just enough dusting flour to prevent the dough from sticking to the bench.
Donut-Making Tips: Yeast-Raised Donuts (2024)

FAQs

How do you use yeast-raised donut mix? ›

Raised A Donut Mix is easy to make - just add water and yeast to this mix to create delicious cake donuts! DIRECTIONS: combine 1 tbsp yeast & 1 cup warm water. Let sit 5 min. Add full bag mix, knead dough for 4-6 min till soft & smooth.

What is the optimum dough temperature for yeast-raised Doughnuts? ›

Dough Temperature -- Ideal temperature is between 78° to 82° F (25.6° to 27.8° C). Dough temperature that is too hot will ferment too fast, have poor texture and grain and have a darker than normal color when fried.

Is a raised donut a yeast donut? ›

Raised donuts (otherwise known as "regular" donuts to most) are prepare more like a bread. The dough is mixed with live yeast inside of it.

Why are my donuts not rising? ›

The liquid was too hot, or not hot enough.

It will usually tell you to use “warm” water. The water temperature should be between 110 - 115 F degrees. If your liquid is too hot (i.e. boiling) it will kill the yeast and prevent the rise. If it's not hot enough, the yeast won't have the heat needed to bloom.

What is the best flour for yeast raised dough? ›

For best results, base your yeast dough on wheat flour — only wheat-based flour provides the type and amount of protein yeast dough needs to support its structure. Whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour, bread flour, or all-purpose flour are all good choices.

Are Krispy Kreme donuts yeast raised? ›

Most Krispy Kreme doughnut varieties are made of the same yeast-raised dough as the original glazed, but they're prepared differently. Some are dipped in chocolate, caramel or other toppings and some are loaded with filling.

How do you know if dough has risen enough? ›

What bakers call the “poke test” is the best way to tell if dough is ready to bake after its second rise. Lightly flour your finger and poke the dough down about 1". If the indent stays, it's ready to bake. If it pops back out, give it a bit more time.

Can you let donut dough rise too long? ›

If the bench time is too long, volume could be lost in the proofing process; the donuts will shrink during frying; the texture will be coarse; and the flavor will not be up to your standards. Always let the dough rise on the bench for approximately 45 minutes before proofing.

How long should you let donut dough rise? ›

MAKE AHEAD: The dough needs to rise twice; the first time, for 6 to 15 hours (preferably overnight), then for 1 to 2 hours after it has been rolled and cut. The glazed doughnuts are best eaten the same day they are made, but they do hold up for a day stored, uncovered, at room temperature.

Are Krispy Kreme donuts cake or yeast? ›

A batch of original glazed starts with Krispy Kreme doughnut mix, water and yeast, the same single-cell fungi used to make bread rise. The yeast is what makes the original glazed so light -- it puffs the dough up with air, so it's not dense like a cake doughnut. (More on this in the next section).

Are raised donuts fried or baked? ›

Doughnuts are fried sweet dough that are either yeast leavened (yeast-raised doughnuts) or chemically leavened (cake doughnuts).

What is the difference between a raised doughnut and a cake like doughnut? ›

It's mainly the leavening agent. Cake doughnuts, so named for their cakey taste and texture, are leavened with baking soda and baking powder, whereas yeast doughnuts are leavened with, you guessed it, yeast.

What is the secret ingredient in doughnuts? ›

Yeast is a tiny yet magical organism that helps doughs of all kinds rise. Without yeast, your doughnuts might resemble dense disks rather than fluffy rings. There are a variety of types of yeasts available for purchase, and some bakers even capture native yeasts to create their own unique doughnut dough.

Why do donuts need to rise twice? ›

By deflating — or punching down — the dough after the first rise, the baker is allowing the yeast to move to areas where more sugars are available. The yeast can then repeat the same process during the second rise and create more gas to be trapped in the dough.

What is the best flour for donuts? ›

All-purpose flour is better for cake doughnuts, which don't need the same gluten development, and are prone to getting a bit tough with bread flour. Active-dry yeast is typically used in raised doughnut recipes, but you can use instant yeast, in the same quantities, if you prefer.

Does salt help yeast rise? ›

Salt acts as a yeast inhibitor, which means that it slows down the growth and reproduction of yeast in your bread dough. Without salt present to rein in its activity, the yeast will go wild eating all of the sugar available in the dough from enzymatic activity, like an overactive Pac-Man machine.

Should I double the yeast if I double the recipe? ›

If you're looking to double a bread recipe, don't double your yeast. More yeast means faster fermentation, which will leave you with too much dough to shape in too little time: when you're shaping your last loaf, your first may already be done with its rise.

What happens if you use self raising flour instead of plain flour and yeast? ›

When using self rising flour the bread proofs much faster. Therefore, if you also add yeast to it you will need to wait for it to act. As a result your bread will be way over-proofed and will most likely collapse while baking. However, by skipping the yeast entirely you will loose out on that delicious bread flavour.

What is the best oil for donuts? ›

What kind of oil is best for cooking donuts? The best oil is the one with the least flavour. Vegetable oil and canola oil are both very good in this respect. The most important thing is to use the same oil for the same kinds of foods, since oil readily absorbs flavours and aromas.

Why put donut dough in fridge? ›

Letting the dough rise overnight in the refrigerator gives these doughnuts a rich and slightly tangy flavor. Prep and Cook Time: 1 hour, plus at least 4 hours of chilling and rising time.

What is the secret to Krispy Kreme doughnuts? ›

What is the secret to Krispy Kreme Donuts? The secret to Krispy Kreme doughnuts is of course the sweet glaze, and this is achieved by bathing the doughnuts in a glaze of icing sugar, vanilla extract and milk, for a thicker glaze increase the quantity of icing sugar by a few spoons.

Does dough need to be tightly covered to rise? ›

Generally speaking, yes, you need to cover the dough while it's rising. Covering the dough will create a warm moist atmosphere for the dough to rise nicely in. If it's cold or dry the dough won't rise as well as it should.

What does overworked dough look like? ›

Loaves made with over-kneaded dough often end up with a rock-hard crust and a dense, dry interior. Slices will be very crumbly, especially toward the middle.

Can I refrigerate donut dough after rising? ›

At this point you can leave the doughnuts on the counter to rise for about 1 hour before frying, OR you can place the doughnuts in the refrigerator to let rise overnight. If refrigerating the dough, let rest at room temperature for 1 hour before frying.

Why do you punch down yeast dough? ›

Yeast bread recipes typically require two stages of proofing, also known as rising. After the first rise, it's important to punch down the dough to prevent it from over-proofing. Overproofed bread is dense and unable to retain the gas bubbles necessary for the structure of the bread loaf.

What happens if you over proof donuts? ›

What happens if the dough is too warm? The dough will ferment too fast; it will tend to over-proof. Result is crippled donuts which my take up too much fat.

What makes donut soft and fluffy? ›

Whole Milk– the higher fat content in whole milk aids in making this a soft and fluffy doughnut. You can use a lower fat content milk, but just know it will affect the texture of the donuts. Water– adding liquid to help activate the yeast. Eggs-added fat and help with the texture and overall structure of the donuts.

Does Dunkin Donuts fry or bake their donuts? ›

They offer a large selection of donuts and baked goods, as well as coffee and other beverages. Dunkin is Americas favorite all-day, everyday stop for coffee, espresso, breakfast sandwiches and donuts. If they didnt, if wouldnt taste nearly as good. They do in fact, fry their donuts in oil.

Does Dunkin Donuts use yeast? ›

Yeast Donuts make up our glazed rings, iced rings, filled shells and fancies (Coffee Rolls, Bismarks, Bow Ties) which is about 65% of our donut mix. It is a three-hour process from start to finish and worth every minute!

What oil does Krispy Kreme use? ›

We use vegetable shortening (palm, soybean, and/or cottonseed and canola oil) for zero gram of trans fat per one serving of doughnut. All monoglycerides and diglycerides are vegetable based. Enzymes are also present.

Which yeast is best for donuts? ›

For the donut dough you'll need:

Instant Or Active Dry Yeast. Eggs. Unsalted butter.

Which is healthier cake or raised donuts? ›

A cake donut is lower in fat, calories and sugar than a donut bursting with sugary fruit filling or glazed with a thick layer of chocolate, but they aren't nutritious.

What oil do bakeries use to fry donuts? ›

Interesterified soybean oil is a good alternative to palm oil for a donut maker looking for a domestically sourced oil or for something with a different flavor profile. Lard and tallow are the traditional fats for frying donuts.

Are old-fashioned donuts cake or yeast? ›

The old-fashioned doughnut is a term used for a variety of cake doughnut prepared in the shape of a ring with a cracked surface and tapered edges around it. Nineteenth century recipes for "old-fashioned donuts" are made with yeast, but in modern doughnut shops an "old-fashioned doughnut" is usually a cake doughnut.

What is a California style donut? ›

So, what is a California donut? Mardirosian describes them as, "A big donut. That is super soft and flavourful with classic toppings." And that they are––these donuts aren't only large in size, but they're also extremely light and fluffy.

What is the best texture of a donut? ›

Ideally the inside is moist and crumbly, and either dense like a muffin or fluffy like birthday cake. “A cake doughnut is much more tender,” says Talbot, “whereas a yeast doughnut has more chew.” In terms of seniority, the yeast doughnut came first.

How do you use donut premix? ›

Doughnut Holes Instructions:

Prepare premix as instructed. Heat vegetable oil 170ºC in a deep pan. Using a small ice cream scoop drop about 1 tablespoon of dough into the oil. Fry doughnut holes, flipping them for about 2 minutes or until golden brown.

How do you use Pillsbury Elite raised donut mix? ›

This mix is formulated to tolerate a variety of shop conditions, while still delivering good shelf life. To prepare, dissolve yeast in water and add the mix to the bowl. Mix for 1 minute on low, and then on medium for 10-12 minutes until the dough is smooth, dry, and pliable.

What is a raised yeast donut? ›

Yeast-raised doughnuts are generally made from sweet dough fermented with yeast to obtain its leavening action or expansion. After being fermented, the doughs are sheeted or rolled to the desired thickness and cut out by an automatic cutter.

What are yeast-raised doughnuts? ›

What are Yeast Donuts? Yeast donuts are fried bakery products that are yeast-leavened, unlike traditional donuts that are chemically-leavened with baking powder and made with a cake batter. The unique characteristics of donuts are their traditional ring shape and the method of frying in hot oil.

How much water do you put in a donut mix? ›

To prepare, simply add 1 cup of water to the dry mix. For better browning, adding 2 tablespoons of oil when preparing the mix, but this is optional. Adding vanilla when preparing is a nice touch too, but completely optional.

How many donuts can you make with 50 lb bag of mix? ›

50 lbs. of mix will yield up to 460 donuts at 2.5 oz. dough pieces. Donuts are commonly used as a breakfast or snack item.

What happens if you add too much yeast to donuts? ›

Too much yeast could cause the dough to go flat by releasing gas before the flour is ready to expand. If you let the dough rise too long, it will start having a yeast or beer smell and taste and ultimately deflate or rise poorly in the oven and have a light crust.

Is it better to use yeast or baking powder for donuts? ›

Cake doughnuts use baking powder in their recipes which give them their cake-like texture. Instead of baking powder yeast doughnuts substitute with yeast to produce a doughnut that is lighter and fluffier. Making yeast doughnuts can take a bit of time due to the proofing process which allows the dough to rise.

Does Dunkin donuts use yeast in their donuts? ›

Yeast Donuts make up our glazed rings, iced rings, filled shells and fancies (Coffee Rolls, Bismarks, Bow Ties) which is about 65% of our donut mix. It is a three-hour process from start to finish and worth every minute!

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