Baked Doughnuts Without a Doughnut Pan

Baked Doughnuts Without a Doughnut Pan

Super Soft and Easy to make baked doughnuts.

I am having so much fun making bread this week. Yesterday, was my first time to make pandesal and it turn out so good. Pandesal is a Filipino dinner roll. 

Few years ago when I fall in love with baking I tried to make cinnamon roll so many times but it was a failed baking, it came out as hard as rock. So I told myself I wont be making bread until I am able to enroll myself in a bread making classes. 

But for some reason, I was so inspired to give Pandesal one more chance, and it didn't failed me. I was over the moon. 

Its my rest today, actually I woke up with a migraine. But nothing can stop me from baking. hahaha!

No matter what my mood is, you can always find me in my kitchen.

Today, I finally decided to try out my long desire of making my homemade donuts. 

There are few things that I have to consider in making these.

Firstly,  I did my research and most of the baked donuts required a doughnut pan. I don't have a plan of buying it. I am trying to maintain as less as kitchen utensils in my kitchen. Maybe if I am a full time baker then I will own many more specialty tools and equipment. There's a pan for everything. Since  anyone cant own everything, Ill just find ways to maximize whatever utensils I have. I read in google that you can use a muffin tin and just put a rounded aluminum in the middle. The down side is it wont give you a perfect round shape. I want my donuts atleast a round shape. So I decided to use fried egg ring mould and for the smaller circle I used the other end of a piping tip. So, doughnut pan sorted.

Second, I am scared of frying. I tried this before and ended up, outside is overcooked but the inside part is under cooked. I am not doing it again. 

Lastly, I am scared of working with yeast. As per my experience with the cinnamon roll ended up hard. But yesterday the pandesal making made me realized that waiting for the dough to doubled is the key for soft and airy bread. Even if the recipe says, let the dough rise for an hour. It could be one 1.5 hours or 2 hours depending on the temperature where you lived. You have to be patient. Another thing I learned is the dough will not rise well if kneading is too less. I knead the dough for 10 mins.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 Tbsp instant yeast

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp warm Milk (95 F - 110 F)

1 Tbsp Butter, melted

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
4 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbsp milk

flaked almond (optional)

Sprinkles (optional)

Procedure:

1. In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients, flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Remember not to put the yeast and salt close to each other. 
2. In a separate bowl, combine all the wet ingredients, Warm milk, melted butter, vanilla extract and egg. Stir well using a fork or a wooden spoon. 
3. Combine the wet and dry ingredient, using a wooden spoon, and stir well.
4. Dump dough on the floured counter and  knead for 10 minutes, adding flour and milk if needed. If it is still sticky just go on kneading with out adding any more flour, it will become less sticky. It should be soft, smooth and slightly sticky.
5. Form into a ball and place in a greased bowl and cover with kitchen towel and let it rise for 1.5 hours or until the dough has doubled its size.
6. Punch the dough and roll it out onto a floured counter up to half an inch thick. Cut out circles using your doughnut cutter or a round cookie cutter. Transfer the cut doughnuts into a baking sheets lined with parchment paper. You can cut smaller circles from the dough leftover or roll them all together one more time to make more doughnuts. Cover the baking sheets with a towel and let them rise the second time for about 45 minutes.
7. Bake the doughnuts at 375 F/ 180 C for 8-10 minutes. The bottom should only be slightly browned while the top is pale. This makes it more chewier.
8.  While the doughnuts are baking prepare the dip frosting, in a medium bowl combine the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and milk. Stir well. Add more milk until reached the desired consistency. 
9. When the doughnuts have cooled down to room temperature, dip the top half of the doughnut in the frosting then put them back in a tray as they might drip a bit. Design or topped with whatever sprinkles you like. 

Notes: 

Know your yeast. Some yeast needs to be proofed, meaning they should be mixed with the warm liquid and foam before using. I was using instant yeast so they can mix directly with dry ingredients.