Baking School In-Depth: Glazed and Filled Yeasted Doughnuts
Doughnuts are an iconic American pastry that have been enjoyed for generations. The sweet aroma of freshly fried doughnuts is irresistible, and biting into a warm, fluffy doughnut is a truly satisfying experience. The first mention of doughnuts can be found in Washington Irving’s 1809 novel A History of New York. Back then, doughnuts were called dough-nuts, or oly koeks, meaning “oil cakes” in Dutch, and were made by frying balls of sweetened dough in pork fat. The doughnuts of the past did not have a hole in the middle, which is a defining characteristic of the modern doughnut we know and love.
With our test kitchen-approved recipes and tips, you can make perfect doughnuts every time. Our step-by-step guide will show you how to make the pillowy dough, shape the doughnuts, fry them to perfection, fill and top them, and enjoy the satisfaction that comes with creating something delicious from scratch.
Be sure to join us for Baking School with Williams Sonoma on Monday, May 20, at 5 p.m. PT. Brian Hart Hoffman will take you step-by-step through making these Yeasted Doughnuts. This is one baking event you won’t want to miss!
Click here to download a printable PDF of this lesson!
INGREDIENT BREAKDOWN
Excellent recipes require wonderful ingredients. Here’s how our recipes’ ingredients contribute to making exquisite yeasted doughnuts.
WATER AND WHOLE MILK: Water activates the yeast and hydrates the dough so the gluten can develop and build elasticity, while whole milk adds richness and helps bind the dry ingredients together.
GRANULATED SUGAR: Sugar is a source of food for the yeast. In fermentation, yeast converts sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol, resulting in a soft, tender doughnut with a hint of sweetness. Additionally, sugar contributes to the doughnuts’ perfect golden color, retains moisture while frying, and adds the perfect sweetness to the pastry cream filling.
RED STAR® ACTIVE DRY YEAST: A standard when it comes to baking with yeast, Red Star® Active Dry Yeast is a tried-and-true favorite for a reason. Providing a moderate and steady leavening rate that allows for maximum flavor development, active dry yeast works incredibly well in enriched doughs such as this. The slower action of active dry yeast also makes it the perfect choice for the slow rise of refrigerated doughs like this one. An essential part of this dough’s leavening, yeast needs food (sugar and carbohydrates), warmth (the warm water in this recipe will activate your yeast), and moisture for proper fermentation. Keep in mind that yeast is killed at 140°F (60°C), so keep your thermometer on hand when heating your water.
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR AND BREAD FLOUR: This dough is high-hydration, which helps to maintain the soft and fluffy texture of the doughnuts. “High-hydration” refers to doughs that contain a high ratio of liquid to flour by weight, usually more than 80% hydration. The bread flour used in this recipe creates a sturdy gluten network, with enough protein content to develop gluten and handle the enrichment of this dough, while the all-purpose flour ensures that the dough remains tender and soft.
UNSALTED BUTTER: Butter adds decadence to the enriched dough, creating a moist, tender doughnut. We use unsalted butter to control how much salt is added to the dough, as different brands have various ranges of salt in their salted butter.
EGGS: Eggs are a crucial ingredient in doughnut-making, serving a triple role in enhancing flavor, texture, and structure. As the doughnuts fry, the proteins in the eggs coagulate and solidify, lending support to the doughnuts’ structure and producing a light, airy, soft, and tender texture.
VANILLA EXTRACT: Vanilla extract is a magical ingredient that adds instant depth of flavor and complexity to all the components in this recipe.
KOSHER SALT: Our salt of choice, kosher salt, is a pure, mined, additive-free salt that dissolves readily and has a crisp, clean taste. It’s important to weigh your salt because different salt crystals measure differently. Kosher salt is flaked rather than granulated, which allows for more even distribution and enhances the overall flavor in the dough, Vanilla Pastry Cream, and glazes.
Yeasted Doughnuts
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
Vanilla Pastry Cream
Ingredients
Instructions
Vanilla Glaze
Ingredients
Instructions
Chocolate Glaze
Ingredients
Instructions
MAKING THE DOUGH
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together 3⁄4 cup (180 grams) warm water, 2 tablespoons (24 grams) sugar, and yeast by hand. Let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Add 2¼ cups (281 grams) all-purpose flour, milk, bread flour, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, salt, and remaining 4 tablespoons (48 grams) sugar to yeast mixture; using the paddle attachment, beat at low speed just until combined. Increase mixer speed to medium; beat until well combined, about 1 minute. With mixer on low speed, gradually add remaining 4 cups (500 grams) all-purpose flour, beating just until combined and a shaggy dough forms, about 1 minute.
3. Switch to the dough hook attachment. Beat at medium-low speed just until dough pulls away from sides of bowl, 8 to 10 minutes. (Dough will still be quite soft and slightly sticky but should not seem excessively wet.)
To tell if you properly mixed your dough, study the consistency. This dough will be softer than others, and you won’t be conducting a windowpane test to check gluten development. Instead, make sure it isn’t too wet, only slightly sticky.
LET IT RISE
1. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Punch down dough; turn out onto prepared pan. Tightly cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
If you have time, you can make the dough and let it rest overnight for the second rise. This process is known as cold fermentation, which gives the dough a more complex flavor and lovely texture. However, if you don’t have time to make the dough the day before, you can still make it with a shorter resting time. Just be sure to complete the one- hour chill time, as the dough will be easier to work with when cold.
CUT AND PROOF THE DOUGH
1. Spray 3 to 4 baking sheets with cooking spray. Cut 15 (5-inch) squares of parchment paper, and place on prepared pans.
2. Lightly dust work surface with all-purpose flour; turn out dough onto prepared surface, and roll to 1⁄2-inch thickness. Using a 3½-inch doughnut cutter or 3½-inch round cutter dipped in flour, cut dough. Gently transfer doughnuts to prepared parchment squares, spacing at least 2 inches apart. Transfer doughnut holes to prepared parchment squares.
When cutting out your doughnuts, don’t twist the cutter and keep it well floured between each cut so it doesn’t catch on the sticky dough.
3. Reroll scraps; let dough stand for 10 minutes. Cut dough, and place on prepared parchment squares. (Discard any remaining dough scraps.) Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until puffed, about 45 minutes for doughnut holes and 1 to 1½ hours for doughnuts.
After you’ve rerolled the scraps for a second cutting, let the dough rest for 10 minutes to allow it to relax and make it easier to work with. When gently poked, properly proofed doughnuts will hold the indentation without collapsing. If the dough just bounces back, the doughnuts are still underproofed and need more time. Wait another 5 to 10 minutes and then perform another poke test. After the dough has risen and puffed, you can easily freeze yeasted doughnut dough to fry later. Freeze the dough in a single layer until solid. Place the frozen doughnuts in a plastic freezer bag. Be sure to let frozen doughnuts fully thaw in a single layer at room temperature before frying.
A FEEL FOR FRYING
1. In a 4- to 6-quart cast-iron Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour oil to a depth of 2 inches, and heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 365°F (185°C). Line several rimmed baking sheets with paper towels.
Before you fry, you need to have your oil prepped and ready. That means having it poured to a depth of 2 inches in your pot and at the temperature called for in the recipe (365°F/185°C in the case of our yeasted doughnuts).
2. Using parchment paper to pick up doughnut holes, transfer doughnut holes in batches to hot oil, letting holes gently fall off parchment into oil. (Do not place parchment in oil.) Fry in batches until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Using a spider strainer, remove doughnut holes, and let drain on prepared pans.
Using parchment helps you easily and safely transfer and lower dough into the hot oil. Bubbles should immediately begin forming around the dough; if not, check the oil’s temperature to ensure it’s hot enough.
3. Using parchment paper to pick up doughnuts, transfer doughnuts in batches to hot oil, letting doughnuts gently fall off parchment into oil. (Do not place parchment paper in oil.) Fry doughnuts in batches until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Using a spider strainer, remove doughnuts, and let drain on prepared pans. Fill and glaze as desired. Best served same day.
While frying, it’s important not to overcrowd the pot, or it’ll reduce the temperature of the oil. In a minute, you’ll turn them to reveal a golden underside. When a yeasted doughnut is fried, it should have a pale ring around its center, known as the “proof line.” This happens because air inside the dough makes the doughnut float just above its midpoint. As a result, the top and bottom fry in the oil while a ring around the middle stays just above the oil level. Once the doughnuts have been turned and fried until golden, you’ll want to transfer them to the prepared pans to cool immediately.
TIME TO FILL
Spoon desired fillings into separate pastry bags fitted with a small round piping tip (Ateco #802). We used Vanilla Pastry Cream, hazelnut-chocolate spread, apricot jam, and strawberry preserves.
FOR ROUNDS: Insert a thin, sharp knife into one side of cooled doughnut, about halfway into doughnut. Insert piping tip into cut hole, and fill until doughnut feels heavier and filling begins to come out of the hole. Rings and rounds will hold no more than about 3 tablespoons of filling.
FOR RINGS: Using a small paring knife, make 4 small holes in bottom of cooled doughnut. Insert piping tip into each cut hole, and slowly fill until filling begins to come out of the hole.
FOR DOUGHNUT HOLES: Insert a thin, sharp knife halfway into cooled doughnut hole. Insert piping tip into cut hole, and slowly fill until resistance is met. Doughnut holes will hold no more than 1 to 2 teaspoons of filling.
TIPS FOR TOPPINGS
You have a few options for topping your doughnuts: a dip into a delightful Chocolate or Vanilla Glaze or a roll in sugar for a crunchy exterior. If you opt for a glaze, make sure your doughnut has completely cooled after frying, or it’ll melt the glaze. However, a still-warm doughnut is required for the sugar to stick to the surface.
FOR SUGAR-COATED DOUGHNUTS AND HOLES: In a large bowl, place 2 to 3 cups (400 to 600 grams) granulated sugar. Let doughnuts drain and cool just until excess oil has dripped off. Working in batches, gently toss warm doughnuts in granulated sugar to coat. Let cool completely. Fill doughnuts after coating in sugar and letting cool completely, if desired.
FOR GLAZED DOUGHNUTS AND HOLES: Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper; place wire racks on prepared pans. Dip doughnuts, one at a time, halfway into Vanilla Glaze or Chocolate Glaze; lift straight up and then swirl in a circular motion, letting excess drip off. Place doughnuts and holes, glaze side up, on prepared rack. Serve immediately, or let stand until glaze is set, about 20 minutes.
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