Yeast Raised Doughnuts Using Tangzhong Method

I recently made this recipe for doughnuts and thought they were great, but they were not quite as pillowy as Krispy Kremes. They also went stale after about a day. To solve this I experimented with using the Tangzhong method. By cooking some the flour and water together it pre-gelatinized the starch and allowed the dough to hold more water. This allowed me to increase the water by a few tablespoons, along with doubling the vanilla.

I used Instant yeast and let the dough rest in the machine for an extra 30 minutes or so before cutting. I doubled the final rise time as well. Instead of cutting out circles I made squares so I wouldn't have to re-roll the scraps from the cut outs. The dough is very tender so I didn't want to handle it too much.

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Yeast Raised Doughnuts Using Tangzhong Method

Follow the recipe below but measure the flour into a bowl and remove 1/3 cup to make the Tangzhong. Add it to a saucepan along with 1 cup of the 1 1/4 cup required. Add about 2 tbsp of water. Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously, till the mixture is smooth and thickens.

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Yeast Raised Doughnuts

1 1/4 cups warm water

1 1/4 tbsp. dry yeast

1 tsp. sugar

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup shortening

1 egg, beaten

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour

shortening for frying the doughnuts in

Glaze: 2 cups powdered sugar 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch 1/4 cup water 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Add 1 cup of the warm water to the bread machine, reserving 1/4 cup to start the yeast in. Add the yeast and 1 tsp. of sugar to the reserved water. Stir to mix well and set aside. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bread machine and when the yeast has proofed, add it as well. Set the bread machine on the dough cycle. When the dough is ready, turn out onto a floured surface and punch down. Let rest for 10 minutes. Roll out to 1/2" thickness and cut out doughnuts. Place on a very lightly greased and floured baking pan turned upside down. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 30 minutes or until double in size. Mix together the glaze ingredients and set aside. Very carefully remove the doughnuts from the baking pan and drop into a pot or deep fryer full of shortening which has been brought to a temperature of 350 to 360 degrees. Fry until lightly brown then flip the doughnut over and fry on the other side. This takes about 1 minute on each side. Remove the doughnuts from the oil and place on a paper towel to drain. Dip in glaze while still warm. Makes about 3 dozen, and this can vary depending on the size of your doughnut cutter, whether or not your doughnuts have holes in them and the thickness you cut the doughnuts.

Note: I would not substitute anything else for the shortening in this recipe. You are not likely to get the same results.

bon appetit