In the beginning, when I first started working on my bakery building in Port Sanilac Michigan (Bake Krazy Bakery) I had several people come up to me and ask if I was going to make DONUTS. I never made donuts back then but I decided to add that to the bakery. I had to invest in the equipment, Mark 6 Belshaw donut robot, Edhard Filler, Dough sheeter, glazing and sugar table, then I had to upgrade the electricity, add make-up air and an exhaust system. Next to make the perfect donut. You would think that would be the easy part but I found out that there is an art to making great donuts. The temperature of the dough has to be right which means you must take into consideration air temps, water temps, and mixture temps just for the dough to be at the right temperature before frying. Next you need to bring the fryer oil to the right temperature and in my case the dough must travel through the conveyer at the correct time. Now onto the filling, coating and finishing of the donuts. Sugar/cinnamon donuts require the donut to be slightly hot or the sugar will not adhere where as powdered sugar donuts must be cooled or the powered sugar will melt. The chocolate and vanilla frosting has to be heated at the correct temperature to get a clean smooth coating and must be monitored to ensure that no sugar lumps develop. Filling of the yeast donuts require the donuts to be at room temperature and with a Edhard donut filler you have to determine the correct amount of filling. There must be enough so that you get some with ever bite but not to much that will damage the donut when filled. Donuts must be made each morning which requires me to arrive at the bakery around 2 am to be finished and opened at 6 am for my first donut loving customer …………………………………………….All this for the perfect donut.
Chef Brian Klauss