How to make raised doughnuts

Raised doughnuts are soft, air-filled yeast doughnuts that practically floats in the oil when they’re being fried and this results in a golden brown doughnut with a fine line around the edge of the doughnuts. Now, making raised doughnuts takes a longer time than regular non-raised doughnuts so you have to plan ahead of time before making them. There are several factors to put in place before making raised doughnuts and if you go along with all the useful tips in this post, you’ll end up with the best-raised doughnuts ever!!!

THE YEAST

When making raised doughnuts, you have to ensure you get the freshest yeast possible. Yeast is a major factor that ensures you get the best well risen air-filled doughnuts ever. To test the yeast, simply mix water, sugar and yeast together. If it starts to froth, your yeast is alive and perfect for making raised doughnuts.

THE MEASUREMENT

Well raised doughnuts start with the right quantity of ingredients. There are two parts to making raised doughnuts. The first is the sponge ingredients and the second is the rest of the ingredients.

HOW TO MAKE RAISED DOUGHNUTS

METHOD 1: The Sponge Method

To make yeast doughnuts, you begin by making the sponge. This process usually takes overnight to form well. The sponge made from combining yeast with other ingredients gives the perfect raised doughnuts. The sponge also gives the doughnut a better flavor compared to quickly made doughnuts. 

A day before you start making doughnuts, combine the ingredients for the sponge in a bowl, mix, and cover. Place this in a refrigerator to rest overnight.

By the time you’re done, your sponge should look like this. This is what well-fed yeast looks like. 

The next day when you want to start making your doughnuts, add the remaining ingredients (except the butter) into the mixing bowl with the sponge and mix till you get a very sticky dough like this. 

Now add about 1 tablespoon of the butter at a time till the dough is well incorporated. Please don’t be tempted to add more flour.  

Place the dough into a good oil greased bowl and cover. Leave this to double in size. This ensures the raised doughnuts practically floats in the oil once the dough is added to the oil. 

Once it doubles, place on a lightly floured surface and roll out. 

Once rolled out, cut the dough with a round cutter and place the rounds on a floured tray.

Ensure you give each one enough space apart to rise. You should have at least 12 rounds. 
Cover with a cling film and proof until the dough is doubled in size compared to its original thickness. 

METHOD 2: The Bread Dough Method

The bread dough method uses the regular bread-making technique (No need to leave overnight and using the sponge method is not compulsory ). With the right amount of ingredients, mixing, type of flour, the presence of fats and liquid, the gluten needed for the perfect dough which would rise in the oil is formed within a few minutes and you can roll or cut your dough into the desired shape you want before frying. To ensure the gluten is properly formed to give the dough its elasticity, fats like butter should be added after the first rise. This is because fats tend to prevent gluten from forming. 

THE OIL TEMPERATURE

Heat up your oil to about 360 degrees and fry the doughnuts for about 45 seconds on each side. While they’re still warm, roll them in extra fine sugar on each side. 

Fill them with your favourite filling.

Here are some doughnuts you could try;

• Jam Doughnut
• Caramel filled doughnut
• Chocolate filled doughnut
• Ring Doughnut