The first time I made doughnuts was at my husband's request, as he prefers them fried in oil. I'm not particularly fond of them that way due to the oily taste, so I tried the baked version for myself while sticking to the classic method for him. I noticed that the baked ones turn out firmer and not as fluffy as the fried ones, but they didn't go uneaten either. Both versions were filled with chocolate cream.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours (including rising)
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking/baking time: 15 minutes in the oven, about 3-4 minutes per batch when frying
Servings: depends on the size of the cutouts, approximately 35-40 doughnuts
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: classic dessert, filled doughnuts
Ingredients
450 ml warm milk (not hot)
about 1 kg all-purpose flour (sifted)
50 g margarine
14 g dry yeast (2 packets)
3 large eggs
1 packet vanilla sugar
1 jar chocolate cream for filling (Nutella or similar)
sunflower oil for frying (only for the classic version)
powdered sugar for decoration (fried doughnuts)
honey for brushing (baked doughnuts)
Instructions
1. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the dry yeast, and mix.
2. In a small pot, heat the milk and melt the margarine in it. Let the mixture cool slightly; it should be warm, not hot.
3. Beat the eggs separately with the vanilla sugar, then pour them over the flour, along with the milk and margarine mixture.
4. Start kneading the dough by hand or with a mixer until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl and no longer sticks to your hands. If it feels too sticky, add a little more flour.
5. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for one hour, until it doubles in size.
6. Once it has risen, divide the dough into four equal pieces.
7. Roll out one piece of dough on a floured surface to about 1 cm thick.
8. Cut out circles using a floured glass.
9. On half of the circles, place a teaspoon of chocolate cream. Cover with the other plain circles and press the edges well, possibly with a fork, to seal the filling inside.
10. For the baked doughnuts, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let them rise for another 10 minutes.
11. Bake in a preheated oven at moderate heat (180°C) for 15 minutes, until they turn lightly golden.
12. While they're still warm, brush them with a little honey on top.
13. For the fried doughnuts, heat the oil well in a deep pot. Carefully add the doughnuts and fry them on both sides for 1-2 minutes each.
14. Remove them to absorbent paper and sprinkle powdered sugar on top while they are hot.
15. Continue until all the dough is used. If desired, you can also make some plain doughnuts without filling.
Why I make this recipe often
It helps that I can please everyone in the house without making two different doughs. The ingredients are simple, and if I feel like something sweet, I can whip it up quickly. Although the baked doughnuts don’t turn out as fluffy as the fried ones, they still disappear quickly from the table.
Tips and Variations
Tips
The dough should be soft but pull away from the bowl. If it’s too stiff, the doughnuts will be dense.
Do not let the milk be hot when mixing; it should only be warm.
When frying, the oil should be hot but not smoking. If it’s not hot enough, the doughnuts will absorb too much oil.
Substitutions
You can use butter instead of margarine, but the texture will be slightly different.
Chocolate cream can be swapped for jam or jelly if you want a different filling.
Variations
You can also make plain doughnuts without filling if you prefer.
Instead of large doughnuts, you can make smaller ones, like mini-doughnuts.
Serving Ideas
Fried doughnuts are great dusted with sugar while hot.
Baked ones can be brushed with honey or also served with powdered sugar.
They pair well with a cup of milk or coffee.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why aren’t the baked doughnuts as fluffy as the fried ones?
In the oven, the dough doesn’t rise as much due to the even temperature and lack of oil to "inflate" them. The texture is a bit denser.
2. Can I use fresh yeast for the dough?
Yes, you can use fresh yeast (about 40 g), but you need to dissolve it in warm milk before adding it to the dough.
3. Can I freeze the doughnuts?
I do not recommend freezing them after baking or frying, as their texture changes. You can, however, freeze the raw dough, but the result won't be identical.
4. How can I prevent the edges from sticking when adding chocolate?
Press the edges well with a fork, and if the dough is dry, lightly moisten the edges with a bit of water before sealing them.
5. Can they be made without filling?
Yes, you can also make plain doughnuts using the same dough.
Nutritional Values (approximate)
A fried filled doughnut has about 220-250 kcal, with approximately 6 g of fat, 35 g of carbohydrates, and 5 g of protein. The baked versions are slightly lower in fat but still quite caloric, especially with chocolate filling. These are estimates and can vary based on size and how much filling you use.
Storage and Reheating
Fried doughnuts are best on the day they are made. They can be stored at room temperature, covered, for 1-2 days, but they will harden. Baked ones dry out quickly, so don’t make them too far in advance. You can briefly reheat them in the microwave, but the texture won’t be as pleasant as when freshly made.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours (including rising)
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking/baking time: 15 minutes in the oven, about 3-4 minutes per batch when frying
Servings: depends on the size of the cutouts, approximately 35-40 doughnuts
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: classic dessert, filled doughnuts
Ingredients
450 ml warm milk (not hot)
about 1 kg all-purpose flour (sifted)
50 g margarine
14 g dry yeast (2 packets)
3 large eggs
1 packet vanilla sugar
1 jar chocolate cream for filling (Nutella or similar)
sunflower oil for frying (only for the classic version)
powdered sugar for decoration (fried doughnuts)
honey for brushing (baked doughnuts)
Instructions
1. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the dry yeast, and mix.
2. In a small pot, heat the milk and melt the margarine in it. Let the mixture cool slightly; it should be warm, not hot.
3. Beat the eggs separately with the vanilla sugar, then pour them over the flour, along with the milk and margarine mixture.
4. Start kneading the dough by hand or with a mixer until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl and no longer sticks to your hands. If it feels too sticky, add a little more flour.
5. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for one hour, until it doubles in size.
6. Once it has risen, divide the dough into four equal pieces.
7. Roll out one piece of dough on a floured surface to about 1 cm thick.
8. Cut out circles using a floured glass.
9. On half of the circles, place a teaspoon of chocolate cream. Cover with the other plain circles and press the edges well, possibly with a fork, to seal the filling inside.
10. For the baked doughnuts, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let them rise for another 10 minutes.
11. Bake in a preheated oven at moderate heat (180°C) for 15 minutes, until they turn lightly golden.
12. While they're still warm, brush them with a little honey on top.
13. For the fried doughnuts, heat the oil well in a deep pot. Carefully add the doughnuts and fry them on both sides for 1-2 minutes each.
14. Remove them to absorbent paper and sprinkle powdered sugar on top while they are hot.
15. Continue until all the dough is used. If desired, you can also make some plain doughnuts without filling.
Why I make this recipe often
It helps that I can please everyone in the house without making two different doughs. The ingredients are simple, and if I feel like something sweet, I can whip it up quickly. Although the baked doughnuts don’t turn out as fluffy as the fried ones, they still disappear quickly from the table.
Tips and Variations
Tips
The dough should be soft but pull away from the bowl. If it’s too stiff, the doughnuts will be dense.
Do not let the milk be hot when mixing; it should only be warm.
When frying, the oil should be hot but not smoking. If it’s not hot enough, the doughnuts will absorb too much oil.
Substitutions
You can use butter instead of margarine, but the texture will be slightly different.
Chocolate cream can be swapped for jam or jelly if you want a different filling.
Variations
You can also make plain doughnuts without filling if you prefer.
Instead of large doughnuts, you can make smaller ones, like mini-doughnuts.
Serving Ideas
Fried doughnuts are great dusted with sugar while hot.
Baked ones can be brushed with honey or also served with powdered sugar.
They pair well with a cup of milk or coffee.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why aren’t the baked doughnuts as fluffy as the fried ones?
In the oven, the dough doesn’t rise as much due to the even temperature and lack of oil to "inflate" them. The texture is a bit denser.
2. Can I use fresh yeast for the dough?
Yes, you can use fresh yeast (about 40 g), but you need to dissolve it in warm milk before adding it to the dough.
3. Can I freeze the doughnuts?
I do not recommend freezing them after baking or frying, as their texture changes. You can, however, freeze the raw dough, but the result won't be identical.
4. How can I prevent the edges from sticking when adding chocolate?
Press the edges well with a fork, and if the dough is dry, lightly moisten the edges with a bit of water before sealing them.
5. Can they be made without filling?
Yes, you can also make plain doughnuts using the same dough.
Nutritional Values (approximate)
A fried filled doughnut has about 220-250 kcal, with approximately 6 g of fat, 35 g of carbohydrates, and 5 g of protein. The baked versions are slightly lower in fat but still quite caloric, especially with chocolate filling. These are estimates and can vary based on size and how much filling you use.
Storage and Reheating
Fried doughnuts are best on the day they are made. They can be stored at room temperature, covered, for 1-2 days, but they will harden. Baked ones dry out quickly, so don’t make them too far in advance. You can briefly reheat them in the microwave, but the texture won’t be as pleasant as when freshly made.