Fun Foodie Info - Everyone Loves a Great Donut!

{Fun Foodie Info, is a series of informative articles written by a variety of "experts" on a particular type of food.

Ever wanted to know more about donuts, and especially Krispy Kreme donuts? Below, you'll find a brief history as well as a donut recipe you can make at home!}

Doughnuts Are the All Round Perfect Dish For Any Event - Everyone Loves a Great Doughnut

By Adam Mochrie


Introduction

Doughnuts are basically quick-breads and come in two varieties: yeasted or those made with baking powder and/or soda, called cake.  Doughnuts are made from the same ingredients as cookies, but they also have east in them to give them a more breadlike quality than unleavened cookies.  Doughnuts are an American phenomenon-- a pop culture phenomenon.  They are quick, sweet, and full of gusto, an edible display of the go-getting determination that makes our nation great.  Doughnuts are a melting pot of breakfast goodness, yeast or cake, glazed or frosted, chocolate or sprinkles, just like our great nation.

Fund-Raising

Doughnuts are made fresh and packaged by the dozen in special fund-raising boxes.  Doughnuts are a popular choice for schools and other not-for-profit groups to cook and sell as a fundraiser.  Doughnuts are relatively easy and fun to make at home, and the flavor is well worth the effort.  Doughnuts are baked and sold on premises at small, privately run bakeries, grocery stores, and in franchise operations that offer a standard product through the use of a pre-packed mix and carefully-controlled production.

Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme doughnuts are made from a carefully guarded, secret recipedating back to 1937.  Krispy Kreme doughnuts do not contain alcohol products manufactured to be consumed as a beverage, such as liquors, wine or beer.  Krispy Kreme is a chain of doughnut stores and doughnuts can also be found in some larger Wal-Mart and Target stores in the United States; Loblaws supermarkets and Petro-Canada gas stations in Canada; and most Tesco supermarkets and Tesco Extra hypermarkets in the United Kingdom.  Krispy Kreme benefited from a regulatory loophole in its subsequent advertising campaign, touting its doughnuts as "trans fat free" and having "0 grams trans fat.  Krispy Kreme began another phase of rapid expansion in the 1990s, opening stores outside the southeastern United States where most of their stores were located.  Krispy Kreme Hong Kong opened its first store in September 2006, and had 6 stores at its peak.  Krispy Kreme fundraising has been helping schools, youth sports groups, and churches raise money since 1937.  Krispy Kreme doughnuts are a great fundraiser.  Krispy Kreme is distinguished by having neon signs, known as "hot lights", to inform customers when hot doughnuts are ready.  Krispy Kreme is the latest company to announce plans for a low-carb product.

Ingredients

Ingredients vary depending on whether they are yeast or chemically leavened.  Ingredients can include cinnamon, nutmeg, eggs, oil, coconut and honey plus many many more.  Ingredients are whisked together in a large stainless steel bowl, and the batter is poured a little at a time into an industrial "doughnut robot," which spits out perfectly formed "O's" into a shallow reservoir of hot oil.  Yeast-leavened doughnuts are made with ingredients that include flour, shortening, milk, sugar, salt, water, yeast, eggs or egg whites, and flavorings.  Mixes require the bakeries to add fresh wet ingredients such as water, milk, and eggs in the mixing process.  Acquiring the ingredients bakeries or franchises that do a brisk business (making hundreds of dozens in a day) acquire mixes in bags, often as large as 50 lbs.  Chains have the ingredients shipped to them from company warehouses within the region and the mixes are stored on the premises and used as needed. After mixing and kneading the flour mixture is then poured into a large mixing bowl put onto an industrial mixer and the appropriate amount of wet ingredients are added depending on weight of the batch and type of doughnut in production.  The dough mixer then begins its work; a large dough hook first mixes and then simulates the human kneading process, pulling and stretching, as it homogenizes the ingredients and develops the dough by forming the gluten into elongated and interlace fibers that form the basic structure of the doughnut.  Dough is then hoisted by hand and loaded into the hopper of a machine called an extruder-a machine that forms the individual doughnuts using a pressure-cutter. Temperatures for proofing, baking, and frying machinery, liquid ingredients, and the production room are carefully monitored and maintained.  Consider this, Krispy Kreme doughnuts are made with ingredients which have similar attributes as those used to make bread.  The ingredients are all staples in the fridge and it takes very little time to make.

Here is a perfect tested copycat recipe for Krispy Kreme orginal glazed doughnuts:

Krispy Kreme CopyCat Recipe

2 pkg. yeast

1/4 cup warm water (105-115F)

1 1/2 cup lukewarm milk (scalded then cooled)

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/3 cup shortening

5 cups all-purpose flour, divided

Vegetable oil

Creamy Glaze

1/3 cup butter

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 to 6 tablespoons hot water

Chocolate glaze

1/3 cup butter

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 to 6 tablespoons hot water

4 oz. milk chocolate or semi-sweet chips

Directions:

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a 2 1/2-quart bowl. Add milk, salt, sugar  eggs, shortening and 2 cups flour. Beat on low speed scraping bowl  constantly, 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed scraping bowl  occasionally, 2 minutes. Stir in remaining flour until smooth. Cover  and let rise in warm place, until double, 50 to 60 minutes. (Dough is  ready when indentation remains when touched.)  Turn dough onto floured surface; roll around lightly to coat with  flour. Gently roll dough 1/2-inch thick with floured rolling pin. Cut  with floured doughnut cutter. Cover and let rise until double, 30 to  40 minutes.

Heat vegetable oil in deep fryer to 350F. Slide doughnuts into hot  oil with wide spatula. Turn doughnuts as they rise to the surface. Fry  until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side. Remove carefully from  oil (do not prick surface); drain. Dip the doughnuts into Creamy Glaze  set on rack; when slightly cooled spread Chocolate Glaze on top.  Doughnuts may be dipped into sprinkles or other toppings after  Chocolate Glaze is applied if desired. Heat butter until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in confectioners'  sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in water, 1 tablespoon  at a time, until desired consistency. Heat butter and chocolate over low heat until chocolate is melted;  remove from heat. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract  until smooth. Stir in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until of desired  consistency.

Conclusion

The doughnut is in a class by itself; it transcends mere food appeal.  Homemade doughnuts are a great alternative to the daily routine of breakfast. Have a doughnut, enjoy yourself.

For over 60 delicious full recipes including detailed directions visit, http://www.freedoughnutrecipes.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Mochrie