Donut

A toroidal doughnut, with a chocolate frosting.

Doughnuts (or donuts) are pastries (usually fried), sometimes coated with sugar, glaze, or frosting. Their shape is either tire shaped, rounded (a 'filled doughnut') or elongated (a cruller). Today they typically have a hole in the center of them, which ensures even cooking, however originally, doughnuts did not have holes.

Raised doughnuts

A raised doughnut is one made from a yeast dough. Once the dough is rolled and cut , the doughnuts are placed in a proofer, which helps the yeast dough rise in a high humidity and temperature of around 110 degrees farenheight. Once the dough has risen, the doughnuts must be fried fairly quickly. The hole in the center of the doughnut allows for more even cooking when fried. Raised doughnuts can be baked but it takes much longer.

Cake doughnuts

A cake doughnut is made from a batter, and dropped into the hot fryer from a dispenser which has a shaped form to make the required shape. The shape of the nozzle determines if the doughnut is a doughnut ball, ring doughnut, french doughnut or crueller. The dough can also be used from a pastry bag or even a small pitcher for making sticks or cakes.

Cake doughnuts are sugared when warm , or frosted after they have cooled slightly. The slight amount of hot oil on the surface helps the sugar stick.

Frying

Doughnuts are fried at a temperature of around 325 F and it typically takes less than a minute per side. The dough or batter will absorb very little oil during the frying process. Too low a temperature and the dough doesn't seal and the doughnut will absorb oil like a sponge.

Frying of raised doughnuts is done on a mesh screen which is placed into the fryer and used to remove them when done. The doughnuts are turned manually with a small wooden stick, somewhat like a drumstick.

Fully automatic lines are available for frying very large quantities of doughnuts. There is also a small machine for making cake doughnuts , often seen at county fairs.

Types

Doughnuts are grouped into four different categories, depending on their composition and the manner in which they are cooked. These are a few examples of how doughnuts are properly categorized. Tim-Bits, or doughnut holes, are categorized in much the same way as the standard doughnut. Doughnuts can be unadorned, or coated with unbelievably delicious and delectable chocolate frosting. Other frosting choices include maple, powdered sugar, and sprinkles.

Yeast Doughnuts

ring doughnut

bismark (the classic filled doughnut)

longjohn (can be filled or simply frosted)

Apple Fritter (A Tim Horton's Original)

Dutchie

Chocolate Dip

Honey Dip

French Cruller (Though the rising agent is egg.)

Cake Doughnuts

Old Fashion

Chocolate

Sour Cream

Filled Doughnuts

Berliner Pfannkuchen

Blueberry

Strawberry

Boston Creme

Canadian Maple

Other

Honey Cruller

Walnut Crunch

See also

• Bagels
• Pastry