# par-ccoked doughnuts?



## bakeratlarge (Jan 18, 2017)

Hi everyone!  I have a question for the group, but first, some background info.  I work at a large country club and we are launching a new menu soon.  It's a sports lounge/tapas style outlet, and we pride ourselves on making everything on the menu to order.  No pre-cooked items allowed. 

Our Exec chef asked for doughnuts to be on the dessert menu.   The kitchen is small and there's no convenient place to hold un-cooked yeast dough reliably, and cake doughnuts are not an option either.   To make things even  more fun, we run the pastry dept. commissary-style, so the final prep will be done by whichever cook is assigned the fryer station on any given night. 

I've been experimenting with par-baking doughnut dough and then browning it in the fryer for service, and also poaching the dough in low temp. oil before the final hot-fry stage (like you'd do for French fries.).  both methods kind-of work, but the texture of the finished product is always drier than it should be and the crust/skin is off, too. 

so my question is: has anyone else tried this and can give me some pointers?  or have any other solution to the problem?


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

Do you have adequate freezer space? You can cut out your yeast dough into donut circles and freeze them. Then, let them thaw (should only take 30 minutes tops depending on the temperature in your kitchen), proof and fry. Voila! Also, be sure to make it so your production is that you don't freeze the dough longer than a week. Even at freezing temps, yeast can burn itself out.


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

......I agree with chefpeon. As for the cake doughnuts, you could have the batter in the reach-in at the ready. Could you have space for a dedicated table-top French Fryer? It takes only 2 minutes ++ to fry a cake doughnut.


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## bakeratlarge (Jan 18, 2017)

nope, no storage space at all.  at most, room for 1 half-pan or half hotel pan in the holding area.  dough must be cooked to order only, so no thawing time or proofing time available.  hence the pre-cooking.


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Reheated donuts are just nasty IMO and that is essentially what you are doing with the par cook.

You didn't describe what the end vision for these donuts are so I will toss this out there.

Cut the dough as for a Beignet and plate 3-4 as a serving depending on the size.

Mini donuts same thing.

The idea here is that 3 smaller donuts look like a GIANT serving on the plate but take up less room in the pans...I know this sounds crazy but give it a spin and see for yourself.

Freeze like @chefpeon suggested (you CAN stack them if you separate with parchment or whatever to keep them from sticking ;-) then move the nites par to fridge right before service and lastly pull a par of 6? orders and start the last rise when service starts.

Every time you sell an order you can replace from fridge if you think you will need...prolly less as service dies down.

All of the above is just a rough draft you will of course have to tweak for your own needs.

All depends if they fly off the pass....or not.

Donuts are cheap to make so don't freak when you are having to toss some at the beginning.

mimi


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

I think your Chef needs to rethink this whole doughnut issue.


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Chefross said:


> I think your Chef needs to rethink this whole doughnut issue.


I agree.

They look to be so easy to those who don't make more than a couple of dozen a few times a year....but there are many potholes on the road to success.

I suppose that is why so few get write ups in the food journals and why it is rare to see a shop with lines extending down the block and around the corner.

mimi

edit to add...I am in the first category...a mixed box from the place down the street is a surefire way to bribe me lol.


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