Doughnut

Glazed doughnuts

A doughnut, or donut, is a deep-fried piece of dough or batter. The two most common shapes are the flattened sphere, which is injected with jam/jelly or another sweet filling; and the torus-shaped ring doughnut, which was traditionally formed by wrapping the dough around a stick but now is made with a cutter leaving a small piece cut from the center which is separately cooked as a doughnut hole.

Overview

Doughnuts can be made using a yeast-based dough (raised doughnuts), or a special type of cake batter. Cake doughnuts are often covered (on top) with a brightly coloured glaze icing or chocolate. Some doughnuts are dredged in cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar, while others are filled with jam or custard, briefly soaked in a sugary flavoured solution, or glazed. Some doughnuts are made with apple cider (the non-alcoholic kind) and are common at cider mills and farm markets. Many kinds of doughnuts are eaten warm.

Doughnuts have become a part of North American popular culture. The cartoon character Homer Simpson is especially fond of doughnuts, while popular mythology has American police officers addicted to them. There are entire chains of retail stores devoted to the selling of fresh doughnuts to eager customers, eg. Dunkin' Donuts, Tim Hortons, Winchell's Donuts, Country Style and many other chain stores. Krispy Kreme is distinguished by having neon signs, known as "hot lights", to inform customers when hot doughnuts are available - fresh off the assembly line.

Other sweet fried pastries very similar to doughnuts include churros and fritters.

History

Doughnuts have a disputable history. One traditional story says that they imported into the USA by Dutch settlers (this version is satirized in The Simpsons, where the character Mr. Burns complains of them as "ethnic foods"). Another story credits the invention of the doughnut hole to a Danish sea captain named Hanson Gregory.

Washington Irving's reference to "doughnuts" in 1809 in his History of New York is believed to be the first known printed use of the word.

Doughnuts are also mentioned in the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Before the "newfangled" ring shape became common, doughnuts were often made as twisted ropes of dough. When placed into a pot of boiling fat, they floated until the lower half was cooked, then rolled themselves over to cook the other side. Ring doughnuts had to be flipped over by hand, which was more time-consuming.

"Doughnut" is the more traditional spelling, and still dominates outside the US. At present, "donut" and "doughnut" are both pervasive in American English, but only "doughnut" is listed in Thorndike and Lorge's (1942) "The Teacher's Word Book of 30,000 Words." It is unclear when the "donut" spelling first took hold, but frequently it is attributed to Dunkin' Donuts, which was founded in 1950. To the contrary, Mayflower Donuts pre-dated Dunkin' Donuts, and there are sparse instances of the "donut" variation prior to WWII. For instance, it is mentioned in an LA times article dated August 10th, 1929. There, Bailey Millard complains about the decline of spelling, and that he "can't swallow the "wel-dun donut' nor the ever so 'gud bred'."

American president John F. Kennedy, during a 1963 visit to Berlin, famously declared "Ich bin ein Berliner" which can be translated as "I am a jelly doughnut" or "I am a citizen of Berlin." See Ich bin ein Berliner

Jelly doughnuts, known as Sufganiot in Israel, have become a traditional Hanukkah food in the recent era. Partially because they're cooked in oil in remembrance of the miracle of the oil, and also because of the sweetness of the holiday.

Types

In Denmark there are Aebleskiver or Krapfshen (also called Aebeleskiver, Ableskiver or Ebleskiver) which are fried in a cast-iron copper-coated pan with individual recesses for each doughnut called a Munk Pan, and have a slice of apple inside.

In the Channel Island of Jersey (situated between England and France) there is a variety of fried pastry item called the Jersey Wonder which is supposed to be prepared when the tide goes out and unlike most 'traditional' UK doughnuts it is neither coated with powdered sugar, nor filled with jam (in French these doughnuts are referred to as mèrvelles).

A type of doughnut was recorded in the 19th century on the Isle of Wight, UK, with a different recipe from the type made in mainland Europe.

In Poland the round jam-filled doughnuts eaten especially - though not exclusively - during the Carnival are called pączki.

In Australia, the jam-filled, caster sugar-coated type of doughnut is traditionally sold hot from caravans at carnivals such as country shows and local markets. They are famous for having a tastiness that is proportional to the degree of delapidation of the caravan from which they are sold. They have been known to burn the mouths of the unwary - for this reason, in some areas the 'feeding of the unwary tourists' has become a thoroughly amusing spectacle.

In Malaysia and Singapore there is a traditional ball-shaped doughnut-like snack, made with glutinous rice flour, coated with sesame seeds and stuffed - not topped - with a variety of fillings, such as ground peanuts, bean paste and kaya. There is a Malaysian machine which makes, among other things, "Kaya Balls" whose recipe and description seems to indicate pretty conclusively that they are a very doughnut-like snack (although they are ball-shaped rather than toroidal) with coconut (Kaya) being the primary flavouring ingredient and they seem to be baked rather than fried. The machine also makes "corn balls, red bean balls, blueberry balls and custard balls" (which might also be considered to be varieties of doughnut-like items) and the maker also has another machine dedicated to making Elephant Ears and Frying Saucers.

In Italy - zeppole.

• Chiacchiere and also lattughe in Lombardy
• Cenci and also Donzelle in Tuscany
• Frappe and also Sfrappole in Emilia Romagna
• Bugie in Genoa and in Piedmont
• Crostoli in Venice and in Trentino

In France and in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, there is a fried pastry called a beignet which is sometimes described as a French doughnut but, as with other 'variants' of fried sweet pastry, the beignet typically has its own distinctive characteristics (shape and texture) which are sufficient in the minds of some of its devotees to object to Beignets being referred to as doughnuts.

Spain, Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Brazil have the churro, which may not generally be thought of as a doughnut, but has similar characteristics. A churro is a thin cylinder of deep-fried pastry with a characteristic 'ridged' surface, due to being extruded through a star shaped hole. It is also popular in the US where it is sometimes referred to as a Spanish Doughnut or Mexican Doughnut. A sweet Turkish 'fluted fritter' (which seems to look similar to Churros) is called Tulumba Tatlisi. The small, twisted variety of churro looks nothing like the large, un-twisted stick-like churro.

A contender for the title 'Mexican Doughnut' is the Bunuelo, also known as the 'Mexican Fried Cookie' which is essentially a round, cookie-shaped doughnut, often shallow fried, rather than deep fried.

A Spanish variety of the doughnut are called Porras and are often served for breakfast, especially in Madrid).

A Middle Eastern and North African variety are called Sfinges or Sfingi.

In Germany, the doughnut equivalents are called Bismarcks or Berliners and don't have the typical ring shape but instead are solid, usually filled with jam. (German doughnuts are sometimes called Berlin Doughnuts in the USA.)

In the Netherlands, there is a type of pastry item called Oliebollen which is referred to in recipe books as Dutch Doughnuts (or occasionally as 'Dutch Donuts') which contain pieces of apple and/or dried fruit like raisins, and is traditionally eaten as part of new year celebrations.

Another well known Dutch fried pastry recipe refers to Poffertjes which are prepared in a similar way to Danish Aebleskiver, but the Poffertje pan has more numerous recesses.

In the Hudson Valley (which includes the Catskill Mountains) in New York State, USA, a doughnut is sometimes called an olicook, which derives from the Dutch Oliekoeke or 'oil cake' (sometimes also called olykoecks).

Another creation popular in the USA which is made with 'fried sweet pastry' is funnel cake where the pastry dough is extruded through a funnel into a pan of hot oil and allowed to 'criss-cross' in the oil in the pan until the string of dough produced fills the bottom of the pan in a kind of tangled random spaghetti-like arrangement which is deep fried as a plate sized 'cake' rather than being the 'individual snack' that a doughnut is. Funnel cake is a dish which is associated with carnivals and funfairs like 'candy-floss' (cotton candy).

Other doughnut variants with different shapes are: bear claws, elephant ears, yum yums, frying saucers taiyaki and long johns.

Some non-sweet fried items with different ingredients to 'wheat-flour based pastry' are referred to as doughnuts, such as vadas which are from India and are made with lentils (and look like ring donuts) and also 'potato doughnuts' which are sometimes made in the US.

Also there is the Native American Indian Frybread (which is fried pastry but not necessarily sweet or with a doughnut-like texture, but there are many variants of frybread, some of which are much more doughnut-pastry-like than others). A similar treat is found at festivals in many U.S. areas called fried dough, which is simply a doughnut-like treat made from a large lump of dough fried in oil.

An item called a Fudge Puppy is occasionally found on sale in the US at fairs and public entertainemt events, and although it is often described as being based upon a Belgian waffle and looks like a hot dog roll smothered in caramel or cream or ice cream or chocolate or fudge sauce, there is every likelihood that varieties exist which are not based upon any waffle-specific treatment and are thus essentially 'long-johns' (that is, hot-dog-roll-shaped doughnuts) covered with the kinds of toppings which are more specific to Fudge Puppies (such as ice cream and fudge sauce) than to non-fudge-puppy doughnuts or waffles.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are all fried pastry items doughnuts?

No, fried bread and French toast are fried pastry items but are not considered to be types of doughnuts. Also, 'battered' items (i.e., items coated in a layer of batter or egg, such as battered fish) which have been fried, are not considered to be doughnuts (despite the fact that the dough from which doughnuts are made can be described as batter). 'Fried pasta' items such as 'crispy wontons' are also not considered to be kinds of doughnuts. Pancakes, are not considered to be doughnuts, because they are cooked on a gridle. Similarly, waffles are not doughnuts because they are cooked in an iron rather than a pot of hot oil. Funnel cakes are similar to doughnuts, but are made from a random string of liquid batter, unlike doughnuts.

2. Are non-fried doughnut-like items doughnuts?

According to doughnut purists, no. However, there are certainly plenty of lower fat recipes for doughnuts which specify baking rather than frying. Also, application of fat to pastry during baking can make it difficult to distinguish the final product from a fried doughnut.

3 Are things which have other names than doughnuts, still doughnuts?

Yes, there are, in non-English speaking communities, items which match precisely, in terms of ingredients, preparation, shape and size, the same products which are described as doughnuts in English speaking communities, but are called something else in the language of that community. Also, where that community readily and traditionally has translated the name of a slightly dissimilar doughnut-like item into the word doughnut (or 'type of doughnut') then it is reasonable to refer to the item as being a type of doughnut.

4. Are any non-sweet fried pastry items doughnuts?

By excluding one of the few distinguishing features of a doughnut (in this case sweetness) then the requirement for the item in question to conform to at least one of the other defining doughnut characteristics (an item which is toroidal and/or made from pastry and/or fried and/or traditionally referred to as being a doughnut or 'type of doughnut') becomes more essential in order for the item to qualify as a doughnut. So the bagel can be excluded on this criterion, but the potato doughnut is not excluded from being considered to be a doughnut and neither is the Vada.

5. Are all doughnut-shaped (toroidal) food items necessarily 'kinds of doughnuts'?

No, the bagel is not considered to be a kind of doughnut, despite being toroidal, made of bread and sometimes available in sweet varieties. It is not fried, but is instead boiled and baked (but a fried bagel would probably be called a fried bagel, rather than a doughnut).

Other non-doughnut toroidal edible items include:

• Polo mints

• ring-shaped pretzels

• spaghetti rings

• hula-hoops (in this context hula-hoops are a small hollow cylindrical branded packaged snack, unlike the larger ring shaped item after which they were named)

6. Are fried sweet pastry items which are not ball or toroid shaped, still doughnuts?

The italian 'lattughe' is actually fried pastry which is in thin leaves (lattughe means lettuce) and is served sweetened with a dusting of powdered sugar. This item has been included on the list of doughnuts below, but perhaps stretches the definition to the limit. There certainly are other shapes which are regularly described as kinds of doughnuts, such as Elephant Ears, Long johns and Bear Claws, as well as the fish-shaped Japaneses Taiyaki.

Variations and Specialties by Region

• Austria - Faschingskrapfen, Kiachl, Bauernkrapfen, Fanzieutes Da Leva, Prugelkrapfen, Hauberlinge, Kniekiechl, Vaschette Frite, Hobelscharten, Houwlschoatn, Schartelkrapfen, Schoadlkropfn, Funkenküechle, Schlipfkrapfen, Kaskrapfen, Schlutzkrapfen, Dirtln, Zillertal Krapfen
• Azores - Filhós
• Armenia - Chickies
• Bohemia - Listy
• Belgium - Smoutebollen
• Bolivia - Masitas
• Bulgaria - Ponichki, Mekitsas
• Cameroon - Puffpuff
• Canada - Crullers, Timbits (doughnut holes; name comes from Tim Hortons), Beaver Tails, Potato Flour Doughnuts
• China - Tikoy, Zha Gao, Jin Doi, Chien Doi
• Corsica - Fritelli
• Croatia - Trijesce, Primoštenske fritule, Istarski cukarini, Krafne
• Czech Republic - Cheregi (this may be a Slovak-originated term or recipe, but is also in use or available in the Czech Republic)
• Denmark - Klejner, Krapfshen, Aebleskiver/Aebeleskiver/Ableskiver/Ebleskiver
• England - Similar to North American doughnuts, but usually topped with granulated sugar rather than powdered sugar or glaze
• Finland - Munkki (without a hole), Berliininmunkki/Piispanmunkki (no hole, sugar coating), Donitsi (with a hole)
• France Beignet, Merveille Provence, Bugne
• Germany - Bismarck, Berliner, (Berliner Pfannkuchen) Obst Krapfen, Fastnachts, Faschingskrapfen, Nougatkrapfen, Vanillekrapfen, Powidlkrapfen, Apfelkrapfen, Eierkuchen Wendish/Sorbian Lusatian Skalje
• Greece - Svingi, Thiples, loukoumades, loukoumathes
• Hawaii - Malasadas, Punahou Malasadas
• Holland - Oliebollen, Bossche bollen, Poffertjes
• Hungary - Csöröge, Farsangi Fánk, Forgácsfánk, Tok Csokany, Langos
• Iceland - Kleinuhringir, Kleinur, Kleina, Berlínarbollur
• India - Wadas (lentil flour)
• Israel - Sufganyot
• Italy - Struffoli, Guanti, (Assisi) Bastoncello, (Calabria) Scaddateddi, Zeppole Spignesi, Chiacchiere, Lattughe (this may not be classifiable as doughnut, but it is fried pastry, in a 'Lettuce' style) Cenci, Donzelle, Frappe, Sfrappole, Bugie, Crostoli, Fritole, Ciambelli (Cocullo, Abruzzi) Bombolone (Rimini)
• Japan (Okinawa) - Dango, Sata-andagi, Taiyaki (fish-shaped)
• Jersey - (Channel Islands) Jersey Wonders, Mervelles
• Kazakhstan - Baursaki
• Kenya - Mandazi, Mahamri, Mandalas
• Malaysia Kuih Keria, Kuih Gelang, Kuih Tayar
• Mexico - Bunuelo, Sopapilla
• Norway - Hjorte Bakkels, Futimonbuckles, Fattigmann Bakkels
• Paraguay Chipas
• Peru - Picorones
• Philippines - Bitso
• Poland - Pączki, Chruściki
• Portugal - Fillozes, Mallasadas
• Romania - Gogoşi
• Russia - Ponchik
• Sardinia - Zippulas
• Serbia - Ustipci, Krofne
• Siberia - Kalachik
• Sicily - Pignolatti, Sfingi, Cuddureddi
• Slovakia - Sisky, Shisky, Ceregi
• Slovenia - Krofi, Fanke
• South Africa - Vetkoek, Oliebolle Met Suurmelk (Sourmilk Doughnuts), Koeksisters (twists)
• Spain - Churros, Porras, Chimeneas, Orange Roscos, Wine Roscos, Roscos de anis, Rosquillas de Ledesma, bunuelos, bimuelos, birmuelos, bermuelos, burmuelos, bunyols, Rosquillas listas de san Isidro, rosquito tonto, rosquilla tonta
• Sweden - Klenater
• Switzerland - Ringli, Basler Krapfen, Chüechli, Öhrli
• Syria - Zabeh
• Tunisia - Ftair
• Turkey - Hanim Göbeği, Tulumba Tatlisi, Izmir Lokmasi
• Turkish Cypriot - Lokma
• Ukraine - Pampushky (sweet filling or garlic flavored)
• USA - Crullers, Vanities, Comfits, Long Johns, Boston Cream, Potato Doughnuts, Simball, Olicook, Olykoecks, Bear Claws, Elephant Ears, Yum Yums, Fasnachts, 'Italian Croquembouche' (a 'pyramid of fried pastry balls'),
• Wales - Welsh Cakes
• Yemen - Zalabiya
• Yugoslavia - Prusurate

Doughnuts and Topology

Doughnuts, as ring shaped items, are an important explanatory tool in the science of topology where the ring doughnut shape (a ring with a circular cross section) is called a torus or toroid, and an example of using the ring doughnut as an illustrative term can be found in popular explanations of the Poincaré conjecture. The other toroidal food item used in topological explanations is of course the bagel. However, the bagel has a hole to allow them to be retreived from boiling water, while a doughnut hole is intended to allow the doughnut to cook faster and more thoroughly. There is no historical connection between bagels and doughnuts. However, there is a pastry from Provence in France that is first boiled and then baked, like a bagel, which is called a Brassado.

By analogy, donut is a slang term for a circular maneuver made with an automobile or other vehicle from a sharp turn in which the rear of the vehicle swings around to form a larger circle as the front of the vehicle turns in a tight circular motion.

The slang term doughnut is also used to describe the small rigid spare tire that comes as original equipment with many new cars.