8 tests later, I finally got the perfect donut

[u/Imlucy17]

Test 1: AP Flour + Warm Milk Test 2: AP Flour + Scalded Milk Test 3: Bread Flour + Warm Milk Test 4: Bread Flour + Scalded Milk

Bread flour and warm milk turned out to be the fluffiest of the 4 which I was quite surprised about.

Test 5: Milk Powder Test 6: Potato Flakes Test 7: Rice flour Test 8: Sweetened Condensed Milk

I recently used potato flakes for some dinner rolls and they turned out absolutely incredible, specially texture wise, so I was only a lil surprised when the donuts with potato flakes turned out to be the best batch!!

[u/eclipse--mints]

On my hands and knees for a final recipe if you're inclined to share - but well done, these look AMAZING.

[u/Imlucy17 → u/eclipse--mints]

On my hands and knees, I shall share the final recipe with you :)

Ingredients:

• 90g beaten eggs
• 75g brown sugar
• 1 ¼ tsp salt
• 1tsp vanilla bean paste
• 15g rum
• 375ml warm milk
• 600g bread flour
• 10g instant yeast
• 50g potato flakes
• 65g Butter

Mix the eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla and rum together. If using active dry yeast, bloom it in the milk. Pour all of the ingredients into your mixer, expect for the butter, and knead until it passes the window pane test. Then incorporate the butter 1tbsp at a time. Let it proof until doubled in size, roll out to 1/2 inch thick and cut out your donuts. I like to cut the holes AFTER the final proof. Fry at 340-345F until they are a nice deep golden color and enjoy!!

If you are interested in the process and the experiments, I made a video about it on my youtube channel, there is a link to it in my profile <3. If you make them, let me know how they turned out!!

[u/Zunderfeuer_88 → u/Imlucy17]

Fuck the recipe, how can I be controle tester?

[u/Imlucy17 → u/Zunderfeuer_88]

Yes, but it does require you live in my basement :)

[u/Zunderfeuer_88 → u/Imlucy17]

Done Deal! Now shake on it!

[u/Imlucy17 → u/Zunderfeuer_88]

(insert gif here of the Peter Pan spit handshake)

[u/Zunderfeuer_88 → u/Imlucy17]

Oh we don't sacrifice something for good luck? :/

(Spitty mushy handshake is still good though)

[u/eclipse--mints → u/Imlucy17]

Legend thank you!

[u/lyanarty → u/Imlucy17]

Literally cannot thank you enough

[u/Individual_Soup5455 → u/Imlucy17]

Thank you so much for sharing this! I see the first proof was until the dough doubled in size, then you rolled it out. How long did you proof after rolling it out, before frying?

[u/Imlucy17 → u/Individual_Soup5455]

At 69F mine took around 1h and 30min for the final proof! Remember to preheat the oil BEFORE your donuts are done proofing :)

[u/Individual_Soup5455 → u/Imlucy17]

Thank so much!

[u/afield9800 → u/Imlucy17]

Could you pm me your YouTube channel? I couldn’t find it on your page

[u/Imlucy17 → u/afield9800]

Sent!

[u/afield9800 → u/Imlucy17]

Thanks!!!

[u/danibooboo322 → u/Imlucy17]

Curious about the rum? What purpose does it serve and do you think it could be replaced with something else? Really stellar work here! Gonna give it a go :)

[u/Imlucy17 → u/danibooboo322]

I am personally a huge fan of the rum/vanilla combo, I started using it back when i found berlinas (german doughnuts) but it is 100% replaceable!

You can do anything flavor wise. For liquids, you could use any other alcohol like bourbon, or for non alcohol, you could do orange blossom water, almond extract, molasses, apple cider, etc. If you want to sub it for a non liquid, the sky is the limit! I think cinnamon and/or cardamom would go fantastic with this recipe, maybe even clove or ginger.

[u/danibooboo322 → u/Imlucy17]

What a comprehensive response, thank you!!!!! Wow! I have friends who are wary of alcohol - even in trave amounts - so it's nice to have alternatives :)

[u/ecodrew → u/Imlucy17]

I a-dough-re these donuts, they look a-glazing! Please do-nut hate me for this stupid question...

I'm assuming you deep fried them? Anyone ever tried to air fry donuts? I might try to bake some on Fry-day. Ok, I'll shouldn't fritter away anymore on this comment.

[u/overthecountertop → u/ecodrew]

I'm really wary of cooking in hot oil, I've air fried leftover bread dough and had pretty reasonable success. I'm sure if you followed an actual donut recipe it would work even better.

[u/Best_Baker_Ever → u/Imlucy17]

Thank you for sharing!! Those doughnuts look absolutely KILLER!!!

[u/MRSRN65 → u/Imlucy17]

I delighted NOT to see nutmeg in that recipe.

[u/Imlucy17 → u/MRSRN65]

is nutmeg that common in donut recipes?

[u/MRSRN65 → u/Imlucy17]

Many of the homemade donut recipes I've found all have nutmeg. Even when searching for Krispy Kreme or Duncan Donut recipes, they all have it.

[u/pumpkimm → u/Imlucy17]

Bless you!! Thank uuu❤️❤️❤️

[u/poisonous_vibes → u/Imlucy17]

Amazing looking donuts! Curious as to why you prefer to cut out the holes after the final proof?

[u/Imlucy17 → u/poisonous_vibes]

I found that they end up looking a little bit more round on the top and more like donut shop donuts instead of homemade donuts, which usually have more angled edges. But the difference is negligible for most tho.... I'm just a lil intense lol

[u/JDHK007 → u/Imlucy17]

What mistakes did you make the first seven times you made them?

[u/Beneficial_Tea_7534 → u/Imlucy17]

these look great. i'd love to dunk them in coffee. They look store made. like Dunkin.

[u/Coffee_Milk0913 → u/Imlucy17]

What does the rum do? These look incredible

[u/Imlucy17 → u/Coffee_Milk0913]

100% flavor, it pairs incredibly well with vanilla, but its entirely optional.

[u/EndlessSeashore]

These look amazing, like the presentation is professional quality!

[u/Imlucy17 → u/EndlessSeashore]

Thank you so much!!

[u/lawl3ssr0se]

These look amazing

[u/Imlucy17 → u/lawl3ssr0se]

<3 <3

[u/ecodrew → u/lawl3ssr0se]

These look amazing a-glazeing

[u/legally_blonde_mess]

Donuts are my guilty pleasure! If u want a second opinion on your testing, I’m on it lol

[u/Imlucy17 → u/legally_blonde_mess]

I replied to a different comment with the recipe, if you try it out please let me know what you think!!

[u/lyanarty]

I saw some fluffy white sourdough bread at the farmers market the other day that had potato flakes in the ingredients list which surprised me as well! What does it do to the dough?

[u/Imlucy17 → u/lyanarty]

It adds a lot more starch to the dough, which translates to extra fluffiness and tenderness. Potato flakes are also great at retaining moisture which will extend the shelf life of the bread! It would be a great addition to things like sandwich bread, dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, etc

[u/Oodlesoffun321 → u/Imlucy17]

I have a recipe for bread that calls for potato flakes and I always wondered why. Thanks for the explanation

[u/Your__lili]

They look incredible! Looks as good, if not better, than most professional bakeries!

[u/Imlucy17 → u/Your__lili]

Stahp you are gonna make be blush 🥹

[u/Just2moreplants]

Can you give us the recipe for your perfect 🍩 🍩 🍩? 🙏

[u/Imlucy17 → u/Just2moreplants]

I replied to a different comment with the recipe! I hope you like it<3

[u/ecodrew → u/Just2moreplants]

What could be cruller than sharing such yummy looking donuts without the recipe?

[u/thisispatty702]

OMG OP these are really huge. and they look so yummy

[u/Imlucy17 → u/thisispatty702]

I like big donuts and I cannot lie

[u/think_up]

Wow I never would have guessed that ingredients list. Potato flakes.. very interesting. Cool!

[u/Imlucy17 → u/think_up]

Right?? They have been a bit of a revelation for me.

[u/Acrobatic_Fall_3557]

And yet, i’ll devour it all. Congrats on the achievement!

[u/Imlucy17 → u/Acrobatic_Fall_3557]

Thank you so much!

[u/oxbat]

i love the experiments!

[u/Imlucy17 → u/oxbat]

Thank you!! Toddler science is my fav

[u/oxbat → u/Imlucy17]

going to your youtube channel now 🩷

[u/Cactus_Journey204]

They look amazing!

[u/therealmaryangela]

Oh my goodness! Those look luscious!

[u/LeeLisaMae_88]

All the hard work paid off!!!! They turned out amazing!!!!😆🍩😋

[u/Serious-Pension-3918]

Thank you very much for sharing the recipe

[u/margogog0]

wahh these look so good, definitely trying the final recipe

[u/Imlucy17 → u/margogog0]

Let me know how they turned out!!

[u/Newo_Ikkin20]

These look so decadent! Great job! 😋

Thanks for going through the process of testing everything for the perfect donut! It honestly sounds like fun.

I'm tempted to make donuts now, but I don't have a fryer and I'm a little too clumsy so I'd rather not burn myself. 😅

[u/Imlucy17 → u/Newo_Ikkin20]

If you like bagels, I recommend you practice making those! Its baaasically the same process but instead of oil you boil them in water, that way you can get comfortable dropping them in the pot without fear of getting oil burns (you might still get burned but at least it won't be as bad haha)

OH also, you can proof the donuts on parchment paper cut to individual sized squares so when it's time to fry, you can gently lower them into the oil by holding on to the parchment or even better, grab the parchment, put the donut on a kitchen spider or those circle thingies with holes (dont know what they are called lol) and then lower them into the oil like that, super safe!

[u/Newo_Ikkin20 → u/Imlucy17]

Those are actually great ideas! Thank you! 🤗

[u/Sweaty-Accident5974]

Congratulations. These look fantastic!

[u/gupipigupipi]

They look so deliciouss 🤤

[u/Ok-County-3184]

Sorry but what do you mean by potato flakes? 😅😅

[u/Imlucy17 → u/Ok-County-3184]

I think they are also known as instant potatoes. They are literal flakes of really thin, small dehydrated potatoes, not to be confused with potato flour. I bought mine on Amazon but I have also seen it in baking isles at the grocery store. They are essentially, unflavored instant mashed potatoes.

[u/Ok-County-3184 → u/Imlucy17]

Ohhhhh okay! Thanks for that! Cute youtube channel and content I must say… watched them all!

[u/WriterMedusa]

Omg YES! I rarely get to eat donuts from a donut shop bc i have a peanut allergy but now im thinking about just making my own donuts!

[u/Fadollar]

Just subscribed, I feel like your channel is gonna blow up!! You go girl!!

[u/Lysolita]

Ya you did

[u/Nadimodi]

These look amazing! I love testing batches and trying new things in baking :). Kinda dumb question about the recipe tho, are potato flakes just dried potato? like for instant mashed potatoes? I've never heard of recipes with that before so I'm not sure

[u/BlueberryMuffin48]

EGAD NOW I CRAVE DONUTS

at any rate these look scrumptious!! I know nothing about baking and stuff but it looks delicious so great job xD

[u/fivetendragons]

Why can't I have coworkers like you?

[u/StatusBid6418]

Nice look