Dr. Lehmann,
I currently use your dough formula for traditional, american stlye, thin crust pizza. I was wondering, is it possible to make donuts using this same dough? If so, would there be any adjustments that would have to be made to the formula? I was thinking maybe the dough could be sheeted and then cut into donuts immediately after mixing, left to proof and then fried and later glazed/sugared. Would this work? Any insight from anyone else would also be appreciated. Thanks!
you won’t be happy w/same formula…we fry our dough & toss in cin/sugar, but it is too heavy 2b called a “donut”
We make something we call “zeppole” (after the Italian festival fritters) or a fritter (Nick’s 'Nuts when it’s just us in the kitchen talking). It is our dough in wads fried and tossed with butter then cinn/sugar. Garlic butter and Parmesan makes a great savory version.
It is not a donut, and does not hold well at all, given pizza dough is pretty lean. I would tend to think that for a doughnut to hold up like the pastry shops, you would need more fat for tenderizing and such. Tom would be the guy, for sure.
Well…you would probably end up making a pretty decent fried bread, but by no stretch of the imagination a donut. To change the formula into something that mo\re closely resembles a yeast raised donut, you would need to increase the yeast to 5% (as compressed) sugar to 15%, and the fat to 5%. Mix the dough, looking for a finished dough temperature of 75 to 80F, then bulk ferment in the bowl for 45 to 60 minutes, then divide into 8 to 10-pound pieces and form into large loaves, apply a little dusting flour and set on the bench or a sheet pan and allow to ferment again for about 30-minutes, or until the dough can be easily rolled out to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with a donut cutter and place onto wire donut screens to proof for abouyt 45-minutes, then fry at 360 to 375F for about 1-minute on each side.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor