Doughnut disaster....

[Brengirl]

The Lauren Groveman fluffy doughnut recipe is driving me up the wall. As Sauzee says in another thread 5 cups of flour is nowhere near enough to make a dough. Yesterday I tried to make a double batch but didn't proceed to baking them just dumped the mix. I was determined to succeed today so even measured and double checked the recipe. I now, once again, have a bowl of gloopy batter. I have already added a further 3 cups of flour but surely if I add even more then I should add sugar, fats etc. Grrrrrrrrr what am I doing wrong.

[starloc]

Ive given up on trying doughnuts with yeast in , i changed to the easten european way, theres loads of recipes for yeast free ones and they seem to work better and are quicker to make

this is one ive used

6oz self raising flour
1 1/2 oz cooking margerine , i used stork cooking fat
1 1/2 oz caster sugar
pinch of salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons of milk

cream the fat and sugar, mix in salt and egg then add milk then the flour, mix till a soft dough is formed

roll it out 1/4 inch thick and cut out either in rings or sold rounds

then fry in hot oil in a saucepan i use about an inch of sunflower or groundnut oil , drop them in, when they puff up they float to the top, then turn them over and keep frying till brown

then sprinkle them with castor sugar with a bit of cinamon

when there cold i use icing bag to put jam in non ring ones

not identical to all doughnuts but better than any from a shop and much easier than yeast recipies

[Brengirl]

Thanks for noticing my problem Starloc. I have made many a yeast doughnut in the past but I'll be damned if I can suss this one.
I will give your recipe a go.

[shirlthegirl43]

Could you post the recipe you are having trouble with brengirl?

[Brengirl]

Shirl, I have made these before succesfully but had to improvise the recipe.
If you don't you end up with a batter

Fluffy Yeast Doughnuts Recipe - Lauren Groveman | Food & Wine

[Hilary B]

I've made a few doughnuts, but I just use an ordinary 'enriched white bread' recipe, and rely on adding sugar later. Seems to work OK.....
It does seem an awful lot of liquid ingredients! (I'm never really happy using 'cups' for everything, especially fats).
In fact, it seems a weird recipe all round. LOADS of yeast, then refrigerate overnight after first rising, then only 20 mins second rising (after shaping) and they are supposed to be 'billowy'. Then there is shaping doughnuts by rolling and cutting......
Maybe it's just a bit of the 'divided by a common language' thing?

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks Brengirl - will take a good look after Top Gear if I am still awake

[JanieB]

The Elizabeth David recipe has always worked for me. Can't post it as my books are all in storage.

[sauzee]

I tried it a second time and used less water and it worked perfect and the doughnuts were excellent

[Brengirl]

I have frozen the dough from yesterday and will wait till I am in the right mood to make them. I will report back and hope it doesn't include expletives lol