[Ayu Kusuma Wardhanie]

hello, i'm an amateur baker and currently am trying new donuts recipe after HUNDREDS of them already. problem is, i NEVER EVER achieve that white line. dough before frying is always heavy (sinking, didn't float immediately) altho i know "light dough" is one of main requirements to achieve white line. i use active dry yeast straight from the envelope, unopened, i live in a warm tropical country (i tried to mimic a proofer box once) i followed details from the recipe, i weigh to measure each ingredients and i always knead using my kitchenaid mixer speed 2. the recipe creator posted some of hers regularly, and all of them looks perfect, so maybe the mistake is on me. first and second raise it always looks normal, but still, heavy. i tried to work normally without aiming white lines and it turns out perfect (without white line). soft and chewy, but not rubbery (kneaded for 6.5 min at speed 2, dough hook: dough not smooth, windowpane tears). but everytime i aim to get that white line it started becoming a complete mess. kneaded at speed 2, dough hook, for 18 minutes (ultra smooth, pass the windowpane test). please tell me what did i do wrong? i never check oil temperature but it is on medium-high flame. i plan to start a new business and altho those without white line tasted so far so good, it still looks dull and unprofessional.

recipe i used:
500g bread flour
6 grams active dry yeast
250ml water
2 egg yolk
1 tsp salt
5 tbsp sugar
100gr butter

 

[Pat Pat]

Why do you want the white line?

I always try so hard for my doughnuts to brown all over.

 

[sgmchef]

Hi Ayu!

Welcome to Cheftalk!

Without being there to see whats what, it sounds like you just need to proof them longer.
Are you proofing them on screens that go into the fat as well or hand dropping them? Handling the proofed product can knock out some of the rise.

Haven't thought about skunk lines on doughnuts in quite a while!

You should really get a thermometer... Can't get consistent results if the oil temp is always a variable.

 

[dueh]

A few suggestions I have would be :
1- what are you using to determine the rises? Time or volume of the dough?
let the yeast do it's job, then gently degas your dough and give a fold. same with the second rise before you roll the dough out, relax it, and the cut it before its final proof.
2- Sub around 20% of your flour for cake flour, amount of bread flour you have may be making the gluten network a bit too strong for the amount of leavening you have.
3- Check your oil temp. if you are going through all the trouble of weighing all the ingredients, timing all of your mixing, only to trash all the work with oil that is too cold...

If you are aiming for that white band in the middle you should be able to see that band expand after you cut the rounds for your doughnuts when they are proofing. Any pictures you have would be helpful.