Should I use cake flour

[sissy]

I've been trying to make donuts but they are to heavy. :( I have been using bread flour. Should I use cake flour? The first batch I used a donut recipe. the second batch I made dinner rolls & used some of the dough to roll out thin. I let it rise & then fried. A little better, but still heavy. I want some light & airy like krispy kreams. Is that possible?
Thanks,
Sissy

[RueTheDay]

All-Purpose flour should work. I wouldn't use bread flour.

[Anon001]

I agree with Rue. I use all-purpose flour for everything including my breads... I bought and tried whole wheat, but I didn't like it as well. I need to use it more because I want to start growing wheat this coming fall. Right now, flour is one of a handful of grocer items I buy... and sugar, salt, pepper. Sorry.. started to ramble,... all-purpose would be better for your doughnuts than bread or cake flour. lol

[sissy]

Thanks ya'll,
Are they light & airy using all purpose flour. And would I use the same recipe as the bread flour recipe. Do I make any adjustments. Sorry so many questions just learning.
Sissy

[CastIronCook2]

Seems to me the light 'n airy is gonna come from the proportion of leavening (baking powder, whatever) you use. Also how long you let the batter sit before you fry 'em up. ?

[CastIronCook2]

Sissy, what kind of shortening are you using? I've gotten good results using light sour cream with baking powder, 'cause the baking soda in the baking powder will interact with the slightly acidic sour cream and really take off. Works well with my sour cream pancakes; I suspect it could be adapted to doughnuts as well.

[sissy]

Hi CastIronCook2,
I was using yeast and butter, then let it double before I cooked them. I picked up some coconut oil today. I thought I might try that instead of butter, but I don't know. Would you post your pancake recipe? It sounds really good. Thanks for the info.
Sissy

[CastIronCook2]

Sissy, here, as per your request, is my recipe for Sour Cream Pancakes. It's in our cookbook, Cast Iron Cuisine from Breakfast to Dessert. See backwoodscooking.com, click on Books, second page.

Sour Cream Pancakes

These light and delicate pancakes have a flavor reminiscent of buttermilk, but with a slightly sweeter edge.

2 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons turbinado (raw) sugar
½ cup light sour cream
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup dried milk
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup water

Beat eggs until light and fluffy. Beat in olive oil, vanilla, and sugar and continue to beat until sugar is melted. Add sour cream; beat until mixture is well blended.
Sift flour with baking soda, dried milk, and salt. Add wet mixture to dry mixture, stirring in water until batter is desired consistency. If you like your pancakes thin, you may need to add a little extra water.
Spoon onto preheated cast iron griddle, turning once when bubbles form. Makes about 24 pancakes of 3-inch diameter.

Variation: Honey-Smoked Stacks

For each serving:
6 sour cream pancakes
1 tablespoon softened Neufchatel cheese
2 deli slices honey-smoked (or other) ham, warmed
3 tablespoons walnuts, chopped very fine.

Lightly spread cheese on 2 warm sour cream pancakes. Stack pancakes. On top of cheese-spread pancakes place 1 deli slice honey-smoked ham (warmed), then 1 tablespoon walnuts chopped very fine. Stack with another 2 cheesed pancakes, another slice of warmed deli ham, and more walnuts. Top stack with 2 pancakes and a final sprinkling of walnuts. Serve with warmed maple syrup. One full recipe of pancakes serves 4.

[AlchemyAcres]

I've been trying to make donuts but they are to heavy. :( I have been using bread flour. Should I use cake flour? The first batch I used a donut recipe. the second batch I made dinner rolls & used some of the dough to roll out thin. I let it rise & then fried. A little better, but still heavy. I want some light & airy like krispy kreams. Is that possible?
Thanks,
Sissy

What are you using or fat in the recipe? That'll make a big difference.

As recommended above, try all-purpose flour....you could also try the addition of some cake flour, but I wouldn't use more than 1/4 the total amount of flour.


~Martin

[NCLee]

Sissy, I don't make doughnuts (sigh) because of diet restrictions for health reasons. I do sneak a couple of the KK every once in a while. :wink:

If I remember correctly you used your breadmachine to make your dough. In this instance, doing them by hand may be the better way to go. Your machine may knead the dough too much for the KK type doughnuts. (Machines vary so this statement may not apply in all cases.)

Often for commercial items, I check the net to see if someone has come up with a good copycat version. Here's a couple that I found that appear to be close to what you're wanting.

http://www.recipezaar.com/Krispy-Kreme-Doughnuts-63746

http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipe/15689/krispy-kreme-doughnuts-(copycat).html

This looks like an interesting link. I'm on dial-up and it'll take far too long for me to actually see it. HowStuffWorks - http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/krispy-kreme.htm

Hope this helps.
Lee

[sissy]

Thanks Ya'll,
I hooking up my printer to copy. I'll let ya'll which recipe works I'll try one till I find the right one.

CastIronCook2, Thanks for the recipe & link. I will try the pancakes when I get the chance.

AlchemyAcres, I was using butter. I'll try the all purpose flour. If that don't work I'll try it with a little cake flour. Thanks

NCLee the links are great. There are a few things that are different in the recipes so I'm going to print them out & compare the differences.
FYI the last one did not give any secrets away. They have their own doughnut mix & use yeast.
Best krispy kream memory is: When I use to go visit my mom, before she past. We always went out to a certain old restaurant & got pintos & corn bread then went and got 2 each krispy kream doughnuts. I can still remember the smile on her face as we ate the doughnuts. Ah such sweet memories.:):):) Sorry rattling on.
Thanks for listening.
Sissy

[AlchemyAcres]

AlchemyAcres, I was using butter. I'll try the all purpose flour. If that don't work I'll try it with a little cake flour. Thanks


In order to get the type off tenderness you're looking for the gluten strands in the dough need to be kept as short as possible.
Shortening is the best fat for minimizing gluten strand length.

I also think that you'll have a hard time reaching your goal of a light tender yeast doughnut with a bread machine....I think that adding all the ingredients at once will allow the gluten to develop before the shortening can take full effect.....I would try finely cutting the shortening into the flour before adding it to the bread machine with the other ingredients....my guess is that may make a difference...it's certainly worth a try!!!!.


~Martin

[CastIronCook2]

AlchemyAcres, I have a hunch you're right about the shortening needing to be cut in first. Feels right to me. But that's good scientific input about the gluten strands (I hadn't known that). The more we can understand what's going on chemically with our cooking, the better we can get at it, imho.

[sissy]

Thanks, I'll try that the next time. This evening I used the all purpose, little bit cake flour, coconut oil, egg, extra sugar, extra yeast, scalded milk, & sour cream. I did not let the bread machine run long. I keep a eye on it & took it out as soon as it was mixed good. hand kneaded it a little. Let rise, kneaded again, rolled out & cut. Let rise, & cooked. Much better, but not right yet. I'll keep trying.
Thanks
Sissy

[annabella1]

are they heavy because they are absorbing too much oil or are they heavy because they are not rising enough.
If it is because they are absorbing too much oil, then your cooking oil may not be hot enough check it with a thermometer don't rely on a deep fat fryer thermostat, they are usually wrong. the oil should be at least 375^F. 400^F is better but a lot of fryers wont go that high. you can also test the temp by frying a piece of bread it should brown within 2 minutes if the oil is hot enough. also if you have too much shortening or too many eggs in the dough they will absorb more oil.
If they are heavy because they have not risen enough, with a yeast dough, test(proof) your yeast it should bubble vigorously when added to warm (80-90^F) sweetened water. Don't over beat The dough and give it plenty of time to rise. If you are using a baking powder recipe you can test the baking powder by mixing it in a little water, again it should bubble vigorously. but don't let a baking powder dough sit too long before you fry it or it could loose volume.

[sissy]

Thanks Annabella1, Great tips I'll keep a eye on these thangs the next time I try them.
Sissy