It’s not surprising to find donut shops that sell other pastries. Does this also make a donut a pastry?
Donut is a special delicacy. It is a sweet deep-fried pastry that has made its mark across the country for centuries and it keeps getting better. Let’s not forget the variety of toppings you get with it.
In this article, I will explain why a donut is a pastry and what type of pastry it is. Keep reading to find out.
What is a donut?
A donut, sometimes known as a doughnut, is a sweet deep-fried pastry. Donuts come in different varieties and go by many names around the world. They can also be glazed or frosted, sweet or savory.
These treats are cooked in a deep fryer and are regarded as breakfast in certain countries. Yeast donuts and cake donuts are the two main types of donuts.
The yeast doughnut is often lighter and velvetier and dates back to when leftover baking scraps were used to make pastries. Plus, it has a more distinctive yeasty flavor that many customers find quite alluring.
On the other hand, cake donuts are thicker and have a texture like cakes. They go by the name “old-fashioned donuts” as well. However, yeast donuts are occasionally baked, making them a healthier option for people.
What is a pastry?
Pastry refers to all baked goods prepared using ingredients including flour, sugar, milk, butter, shortening, baking powder, and/or eggs. Typically, these baked goods include pies, donuts, tarts, quiches, etc.
The dough from which these baked goods are prepared can also be referred to as pastry. A good pastry is flaky, light, and greasy but stiff enough to hold the filling’s weight.
The high-fat content of pastries makes them flaky and gives them a crumbly texture that differentiates them from bread.
Is a donut a pastry?
Yes, a donut is a pastry. It is one of the most popular pastries in the world. Pastries are made with dough, water, and shortening. And donuts contain these ingredients.
What kind of pastry is a donut?
A donut is a sweet deep-fried pastry. That’s because it’s submerged and fried in a deep pan of oil. But there are also savory donuts made with herbs, jalapeños, and green onions.
Is a donut a cake or bread?
No, a donut is not a cake or bread. Although it is similar to bread in certain ways, it is not bread. Bread is baked while donut is fried.
Also, cake donuts are a type of donut and not exactly a cake. You can prepare them from a type of cake batter that uses a chemical leavener such as baking powder or baking soda.
Is an apple fritter a donut or a pastry?
Apple fritters are donuts which also makes them pastries.
You can make fritters out of yeasted donut dough, and stuff them with cooked sweetened cinnamon apples. After that, fry them in your Dutch oven over the stove just like donuts.
Donut pastry recipe
To prepare your donuts, you need the following ingredients:
- 500g strong white bread flour
- 60g golden caster sugar
- 4 eggs
- 125g softened unsalted butter
- 15g fresh yeast, crumbled
- About 2 liters of sunflower oil for deep-frying
- Zest 1/2 lemon
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- Caster sugar for tossing
Method
Follow the following steps to prepare your donuts:
Step 1 – Mix your ingredients
Pour all the ingredients for the dough, and save the butter into the bowl of a mixer with a beater paddle and 150g of water.
Mix on medium speed for 8 minutes or until the dough begins to pull away from the sides and forms a ball. After that, stop the mixer and let the dough rest.
Step 2 – Add your butter
Restart the mixer on medium speed, then gradually incorporate the butter into the dough, about 25g at a time.
After combining everything, mix for 5 minutes at high speed to create a glossy, smooth, and strongly elastic dough.
Step 3 – Refrigerate your dough
Cover the dough in a bowl with a fresh tea towel and let it rise. When the dough has doubled in size, give it a knockback. Cover the dough in a bowl again and place it in the refrigerator to cool overnight.
Take the dough out of the refrigerator the following morning and cut it into 50g pieces (you should get about 20).
Step 4 – Heat your oil
To prevent the dough pieces from sticking together while rising, roll them into smooth, snug buns, then set them on a baking sheet dusted with flour.
Wrap it loosely in plastic wrap and let it stand for 4 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Afterward, half-fill your heavy saucepan or deep-fat fryer with oil. Heat the oil to 356°F.
Step 5 – Start frying
Using a pastry scraper dusted with flour, carefully remove the donuts from the tray once the oil is hot. Put them into the oil, and be careful not to let them deflate.
Depending on the size of your fryer or pan, fry the donuts in batches of 3 to give them room in the oil.
Once the buns puff up and float, gently push them down after about a minute to help them color evenly. Fry the buns for 2 minutes on both sides or until you get a golden brown color.
Step 6 – Gently remove them from the oil
Gently remove the donuts from the oil and place them on kitchen paper. While the donuts are still warm, toss them in a basin of caster sugar.
Keep checking the oil temperature until all the donuts are fried. If the heat is too high, your donuts will burn and still be undone in the middle.
Also, if it is too low, your donuts absorb the oil and become greasy. So, repeat the careful frying procedure until all your donuts are ready.
Step 7 – Fill your donuts
Set aside to cool before filling. Create a small hole with a knife along the white line between the fried top and bottom of each doughnut to fill it. The ideal amount of filling, depending on the type, is 20–50g.
You can try out custard filling and add different flavors like; brown sugar, chocolate, coffee, malt and vanilla, and saffron to the custard.
If using cream fillings, use less because it is more aerated. Significantly, use a pipe to add the filling to your donuts for clean results.
Note: Ensure that all your measurements are accurate. Weighing your water is a better option than using a measuring jug. Also, a deep-fat fryer is a better and safer option for frying.
Can you bake donuts?
Yes, you can. You can bake donuts in a preheated 350°F oven. It’ll take roughly 20 minutes to bake donuts to a golden-brown color. Baked donuts taste as good as deep-fried ones, so you are at no loss.
However, in comparison to deep-fried donuts, baked donuts have a tougher texture. If you do a blind test, you wouldn’t even guess they’re a donut.
You will have to eat baked donuts with cream and jam or light butter. That is because they’re not much of a stand-alone indulgence as the deep-fried donuts.
FAQs
Does Dunkin’ Donuts bake their donuts?
Yes, Dunkin’ Donuts bakes their donuts at all locations. After baking, they decorate them with sprinkles and other varieties of toppings. At Dunkin’ Donuts, every customer has a plethora of options to pick from.
What differentiates baked donuts from fried ones?
Fried doughnuts are made with a yeast mixture that makes them rise; they have a light texture and a medium brown color.
On the other hand, the baked doughnuts are more compact, flavored with baking powder, and smaller in size.
Which cooking oil is best for donuts?
Canola oil is best for cooking donuts. That is because the oil with the least flavor is usually a better option. Canola oil and vegetable oil are both excellent choices in this regard.
Are donuts unhealthy for you?
Yes, consuming too much is unhealthy for you. Although donuts have between 250 and 550 calories per serving, they contain 15 to 30 grams of sugar, which is highly unhealthy.
When you consume more than one or two at a time, your body overproduces insulin to compensate for a large amount of sugar packed into the bloodstream.
What is the most famous donut brand in America?
The most popular donut brand in America is Dunkin’ Donuts. With 11,000 locations across 33 countries, Dunkin’ Donuts is the largest chain of donut shops.
Conclusion
Now, it is no longer the question of whether or not a donut is a pastry but how to stay healthy while eating this hearty treat.
One or two is enough for a serving. Also, whether you choose to bake or fry a donut, be careful during the preparation process not to burn yourself.
You can get your favorite donut flavor in any donut shop or make one with the recipe provided. Whatever you choose, enjoy it as a rare treat. In addition, if you are tired of regular yeast donuts, you can try cake donuts.
Thank you for reading.
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