In my opinion yes, reader Bill. Yes, you can bake doughnut batter up in little savarin molds if you like, you’ll get a ring-shaped cake. It won’t be a doughnut as far as I’m concerned. The result you get from the two devices (fryer and oven) are simply too different. But what exactly causes that difference? Why does 365-degree oil produce such a very different product compared to a 365-degree oven?
READ ONReader Annemarie writes:
This is off topic for this question, but something that you might be able to help me with. A few months ago I won a “Le Crueset” cast iron saute pan, with a wooden handle. I know that you are supposed to season the pan before use, but I’ve only been able to find methods that involve putting the entire pan into the oven. I’m reluctant to do that with the wooden handle. Can you suggest a method? I’ve tried just heating oil in the pan, but that doesn’t do the trick.
Hey Annemarie! First, congratulations on a nice pickup! This is an obvious question, but did the pan itself come with any instructions? I ask because Le Creuset is obviously a very respectable brand, as such the odds are very good that it’s pre-seasoned and all you need to do is start using it. In fact “just using it” is good advice just generally for cast iron. People get overly obsessed with seasoning these days. Plain ol’ use will accomplish the task quicker than you might think.
READ ONCool isn’t it? A pre-made caramel combined with milk, butter and baking soda, then boiled to the soft ball stage. What the…?
The baking soda is the real curve ball here. What possible use is baking soda in a pot of boiling milk? Those who have ever made dulce de leche know the answer: it causes the milk to brown at a relatively low temperature. It’s an aesthetic thing in the context of this icing. It simply gives the mixture a nice tan color, which is important for the presentation of something called a “caramel” icing.
READ ONHow long does it take for good fry oil to turn bad you mean? That depends on a number of factors, chief among them the type of oil/fat you’re using. In general, you want a frying medium that’s fairly stable (i.e. resistant to breakdown) and neutral flavor-wise. For me that means either vegetable or canola oil. Solid fats like shortening or lard are even more resistant to breakdown, but are less convenient for the home fryer.
READ ONIs a fry pan full of bubbling cake doughnuts not a joy to behold, my friends? If not, I put it to you that you are dead. Or vegan. Oh, I kid. You know, baseball players get a very bad rap. They’re not respected as athletes, though it’s widely claimed that the act of merely […]
READ ONReader Matt wrote in over the weekend to ask: I read your post “The True Sinker” and it made me wonder. According to your other posts on fry oil, only oil that’s pretty far gone soaks into food that fast. Does this mean most doughnut shops don’t change their oil very often? Actually, Matt, the […]
READ ONThe fact that shortening returns to firmness after a doughnut has been fried can have other advantages for the commercial doughnut makers. Specifically, it can mask a variety of sins committed by inept (or just plain cheap) fry guys. You now know from previous posts that old, worn out frying fat soaks into a doughnut […]
READ ONHow long does it take for good fry oil to turn bad you mean? That depends on a number of factors, chief among them the type of fat you’re using. In general, you want one that’s fairly stable (i.e. resistant to breakdown) and neutral flavor-wise. For me that means either vegetable or canola oil. Solid […]
READ ONTo understand how the ’76 Steelers can turn into the ’08 Lions, we need to back up a bit and talk about fat composition. Kitchen fats are what are known as trigycerides. Which is to say their molecules are made up of three long-chain fatty acids attached to a “backbone” of glycerol. Imagine a capital […]
READ ONI admit that compared to past restaurant shows I’ve been to, this year isn’t a barn-burner, but there’s still more than enough good stuff to make it worth the trip. Given the topic of the past week — doughnuts and frying — I was particularly interested to see this new piece of gear: The new […]
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