Yeast donut and Honey Bun Technical Help

Honey Buns and Yeast Raised Donuts are two very similar products that require similar production methods to produce quality products.

Remember, these are not cakes, but are living systems due the yeast fermenting the dough. The fermentation is vital to the end product. Always trust fermentation. It is extremely rare for any production problems to originate from excess fermentation.

There is usually more than one way to solve any one problem. However, there is usually only one way that will solve the problem without creating new problems. Key Mix is here to assist you through these problems. Call us when you need help.

Fermentation

The yeast must ferment dough in order to produce a satisfactory product. The fermentation process is a complex series of reactions that produces carbon dioxide, alcohol, and other chemicals. The pH level of the dough drops as the fermentation continues. These chemicals and the yeast activity mellow the wheat gluten. The result is a far superior dough that has better volume, shelf life and taste.

When yeast is first added to the dough, it is still in a relatively dormant state induced by the final stages of its manufacturing process. If no prefermented dough (Scrap) or brew is added to the dough, the yeast activity is relatively low. The semi dormant yeast will still produce carbon dioxide to leaven the dough but the other byproducts will not be produced giving the dough the strength that is needed.

High sugar levels and salt will retard fermentation, high water levels speed up fermentation. Since these factors can not be changed, the only good way to get adequate fermentation is by controlling temperature, time and yeast levels.

The goal of fermentation is matching the time when the yeast is producing the maximum amount of carbon dioxide when the gluten is the strongest. This will produce the product with the best volume.


 

Age and Development

Age or fermentation can come from three sources, biochemical, chemical, and mechanical development. Biochemical age comes from the yeast fermentation. The longer the dough and the flour is exposed to fermentation, the older the dough is. This biochemical fermentation is due to the activity of the yeast forming a variety of acids and alcohols that interact with the flour. Chemical age comes from additives added to the dough such as L cysteine, acids, enzymes etc, that react with the flour and/or enhance the yeast environment . Mechanical age comes from mixing. A slightly over mixed dough will act like a old dough to a limited degree. The opposite will happen to a slightly under mixed dough.

Using these principles, fermentation, mixing and formulation will results in the correct parameters. For example if your doughs are acting a little old, reduce mix time, fermentation or both.
 

Scrap Dough

Scrap dough and brew are the two primary sources of fermentation in Honey Buns. The flour coming from the brew is only 30% of the total flour in the dough. In other words only a small portion of the flour in the final dough has been fermented when only brew is used. The scrap dough will add more fermented flour as well as some very active yeast.

Two things to remember are to never use scrap fresh off the table and never use too much very old scrap. It is best to fill the scrap buckets 2/3 of the way full. When the scrap has fermented to the point where the bucket is full, the scrap has enough fermentation.

Old scrap the has gotten to old will be over gassed bucky, wet and sticky. Once the dough gets to the point where it gets very warm (approximately 100F) The yeast will begin to die releasing glutathione which is a powerful reducing agent. The glutathinoe will begin to break down the gluten releasing the water resulting in a very wet sticky dough. Never used more than a small amount of this type of scrap in a dough

The amount of scrap and the amount of fermentation the scrap has received will drastically effect the mix times. In other words the more the gluten has been exposed to fermentation before mixing to the lower the amount of time is needed to develop the dough in the mixer. Adding scrap to the beginning of the mix will reduce the mix time as well since the new flour will be exposed to the by products of fermentation during the mixing.
 

Floor Time

Floor time is the time the dough needs to relax after the mixing process. The mixing process puts a lot of mechanical abuse on the dough. The dough needs to recover from the abuse before it is allowed to continue. There is not a right time or a wrong time but the dough and the final product must be observed to determine the proper floor time. Floor time also serves as additional fermentation. Remember the yeast added to the dough takes over 45 minutes to become fully active.

A freshly mixed dough will be softer and highly extensible. A dough that has received a little floor time will start to get spongy and will break clean when stretched. A fully matured dough will be dry and very mellow, it will break clean and sharp with minimal elasticity.

Floor time is related to mixing. If a dough is over mixed, it requires more floor time for the gluten to recover. An under mixed dough will require less floor time due to less mechanical abuse.

In Honey Buns, a dough with inadequate floor time will exhibit the tendency to have the beginning of the dough to be sticky. This results in misshaped buns at the transpositor. The first buns at the fryer will also be small.

Excessive floor time can also cause problems. Excessive gassing will cause problems during extrusion. The end of the dough may be too old.
 

Donut Mixing

There are basically two factors to be considered in the mixing of the dough, temperature and gluten development.

Mix times are rarely constant. The mix operator must feel each dough and adjust his mix times to give the same amount of gluten development. As stated earlier, biochemical, chemical and mechanical development are all inter related. If the scrap added to the dough is older or more is used, the dough will develop faster in the mixer. The opposite is true as well. The mixer must be aware of this.

Flour is rarely the same. Gluten quality and quantity will vary from shipment to shipment. The variations should not be great, but when considering all of the factors it will influence the water absorption and mix time.

Temperature is a critical point in the fermentation of the dough. As a rule of thumb, a rise in 10F will result in twice the rate of the fermentation reaction up to 100 to 105F. This is a 10% increase for every degree. If the doughs vary in temperature, the final product will never be consistent since the proof time will not vary 10% per degree change. Doughs m ust be consistently mixed to the proper temperature and the temperature should not vary between doughs.


Proofing

Proofing is the final fermentation stage. If everything is correct during the proofing stage the dough will reach its maximum strength during the latter stages of the proof when the yeast activity is at its greatest. This will result in a bun with good volume with good spread.

The first zone of the proofer should be more humid allowing the bun to spread more. The bun should feel velvety soft but never wet and sticky. The second zone should always be slightly dryer. This allows the skin of the bun to dry out. This helps with gas retention and strength. The proofer should be monitored frequently to determine if the conditions are right. Slight variations in the dough and in the fermentation will require changes in the dry and wet bulb settings.

The best way to judge the proof is by final product. The internal temperature can also be used to determine the degree of proof. The internal temperature will vary from process to process and product to product. However, it should be fairly constant in your operation. A donut with a normal proof time of approximately 30 minutes should reach an internal temperature of 105F plus or minus 3F at the end of the proof. Short proof times require higher internal temperatures of 110F and higher.

Too low an internal temperature can result in raw spots in the finished product. The fryer can not be expected to cook out the bun if it is too cold before entering the fryer

Never proof by the dry bulb and wet bulb settings. Always feel the buns and observe the product in the fryer. Compare the beginning of the doughs to the ends before making adjustments.

Another fault caused by incorrect proofing is white spots on the surface of buns. White spots on bun surface can be caused by too wet a proofer. When the buns get sticky in the proofer, they stick to the tray and will get concave bottoms. This will result in white spots. Do not proof wet. A dry box is critical to getting a good bun.


Frying

The fryer is the point where all decisions concerning fermentation, mix time, mix temperature, floor time, and proof time are made. Never bake by numbers always observe the final product and make adjustments.

Most donuts will fry in 90 to 110 seconds at 375F. Never increase the fry time to increase the fat absorption. If the fat is too low, there is a problem in formulation.
 

Critical Control Points

Set temperature of brew determines rate of fermentation. Higher temperatures speed up fermentation drastically. This temperature should be recorded for every brew. This is not the temperature of the water, it is the temperature of the brew after it has been set.

Rise temperature is final temperature set temperature. This is an indication of the amount of fermentation. The fermentation activity of the yeast creates heat. This temperature should be recorded for every brew.

Ferment Time Increasing and decreasing the total ferment time will change the age of the brew.

TTA and pH Measure at least once a day. The value should be compared to the rise temperature. There should be consistency between the values or the set temperature and/or the ferment time should be adjusted

Scrap

The amount of scrap should not vary as this will alter the age of the dough. Scrap is very important in order to obtain the desired level of age as the level is not high enough to depend on it exclusively.

Ferment time on scrap Fresh scrap should never be used. Fresh scrap has practically no value. also allow the scrap to proof up before use. Very old burnt out scrap should be added only in small quantities as this will have a negative effect on the product.

Ratio of age of scrap and amount of scrap The older the scrap is, the less is needed. The younger the scrap is the more that is needed. The two are directly related.

 

Mixing times will vary. Each dough must be evaluated by the mixer. The age of the brew and the scrap will alter the mix times. Changes in the flour will also alter the mix time.  It is vital to monitor this closely.

The final temperature will determine the rate of proof. The final product should determine the dough temperature. The final mix temperature should be recorded for each dough.

Degree of development Since there is a possibility of changes in the brew, scrap and flour, the doughs must be evaluated for mix development. Elasticity and extensibility of the doughs must be evaluated.

 

Floor time is related to the amount of development from mechanical, biochemical and chemical sources. The more the dough is over developed the longer the floor time must be to allow the dough to recover. Underdeveloped doughs need less time. If there is consistency in the development of the doughs there will be consistency in floor times.

 

Temperature and humidity of first zone The first zone of the proofer should be moister than the second zoe. Buns should be evaluated in the box several times per shift to determine if the conditions are correct. The buns should feel velvet like and not dry. The buns should not feel sticky. This allows the bun to flow on the shelf with out sticking to the shelf.

Temperature and humidity of second zone The second zone needs to be dryer to allow a skin to form. The skin will give the bun support and help ret ain gases during frying. Once again, this should be evaluated several times per shift.

Internal temperature of bun leaving proofer The internal temperature will determine the degree of proof. Proof box temperatures and dough temperatures need to be adjusted to optimize final product characteristics. Optimal temperature can vary slightly but for your current product it should be 97
 

Fat Absorbtion
Yeast donut fat absorption is an important quality parameter that should be monitored. Low fat levels produces a donut that has a shorter shelf life and will have glazes and icings that break down more quickly. Too high a fat level will produce a donut that is more expensive and will have a greasy mouth feel.

Yeast donut fat levels (% of fat of the finished donut with no icings or glazes) should range from 24% to 33%. Type of donut being produced, size, shape and desired shelf life and eating characteristics will determine the fat level.

The most important factor that will alter the fat level is the shortening added to the dough. As more shortening is added the fat level goes up. A donut with more fat in the dough will be more tender and will absorb more fat from the fryer. A yeast donut ring dough (honey dip) will have about 8 to 10% fat based on flour or approximately <5% fat and a very rich fried bun dough will have 20% fat based on flour or approximately 9.5% fat. The higher fat product will absorb more fat from the fryer resulting in a finished fat level that is up to 10% higher than the very lean product.

Flour protein will change the fat absorption. Gluten will form a film that will block the fat from entering the donut. The higher the level of protein, and the higher the strength, the more that the gluten will block the fat. There is a significant difference between the varieties of flours (spring wheat vs. winter wheat, clear flours vs. normal extractions) Spring wheat flour has the highest level of strong proteins. Clear flours are high in protein, but the quality is very low.

Sugar acts a tenderizer and will increase fat absorption. Higher sugar levels will weaken the gluten and will allow more fat to be absorbed.

As you can see, the function of the ingredient influences the fat absorption of the finished donut. In addition, the dilution effect is another factor. As more shortening and sugar and other non strengthening ingredients are added the more the strengthening ingredients are diluted. The addition of sugar and shortening can have quite dramatic effects on the finished fat level

 

Controlling Mold Growth

There are several ways to control the growth of mold on yeast donuts depending on what is causing the donut to go moldy.

The most important aspect is bakery sanitation. Unless the bakery is clean and mold free, no method will guarantee mold free shelf life. Quatenary ammonia products can be applied at 200 ppm to sanitize the surfaces of the bakery. Special attention needs to be applied to 'wet areas' such as bowl cleaning areas. Increasing preservatives to compenstate for poor sanitation will not work as calcium propionate are not generally ìcidalî at the level used in foods. They therefore will not reduce existing yeast or mold contamination, but instead retard further growth of organisms already present, provided the degree of contamination is not too high. Products that have already spoiled or foods prepared under poor sanitary conditions will not benefit from the use of this preservative.

Adequate and proper preservatives are also key to proper mold inhibition. Calcium propionate is the only inhibitor that will work in a yeast raised dough. All other preservatives will inhibit the yeast and prevent proper fermentation. Excessive levels of calcium propionate will also inhibit the yeast and will not help. The glaze can contain much stronger preservatives such as potassium sorbate and sorbic acid. The glaze must contain at least 1/10 of 1% of potassium sorbate or sorbic acid. Remember that if you use these preseratives at high levels, do not use reclaimed glaze as sugar, it will kill the yeast.

The last factor is equally as important and that is fermenation. Increasing the fermentation will allow the bun to cook out better. Large donuts or jumbo donuts need to be fried out completely. Raw spots in the center of the donut will cause mold to grow in the center of the donut. Sometimes donuts that are doughy in the center go sour or moldy in the center. Whenever this happens, increase fermentation. This is a strong indication that the proof box is too cold, increase the temperature of the box. It would also be helpful to increase dough temperature, increase amount of scrap dough and increase the yeast level. The dough must be properly fermented to cook out the donuts.

Critical Ingredients

No technical discussion on yeast raised donuts can be complete with out a discussion on ingredients. The most important ingredient is flour.
 

Flour
Sugar
Yeast
Shortening
 

SUGAR

Sugar has several functions in a yeast raised dough. The obvious is sweetness, however, this is the least important. In a yeast donut there is Dextrose, Sucrose and other sugars.

Sugar acts as a tenderizer which will make the bun less chewy and will increase the fat absorption. Sugar will also under go browning reactions during frying to give crust color, dextrose is gives more crust color than sucrose.

The most important function is a food for the yeast. The yeast need a supply of quick energy for the quick fermentation that is used. Dextrose will be the primary source of food for the yeast during the fermentation.

Low levels of sugars speed up fermentation considerably, but as the sugar levels rise, sugar will inhibit fermentation due to the osmotic pressure exerted on the yeast.

Sugar will also compete with the gluten for the available water. To see this, mix a dough with no sugar and very low water. The dough will be very stiff. Add sugar at the end of the mixing and the dough will soften up considerably. This is why high sugar doughs are so low in sugar. This magnifies the osmotic pressure and slows the fermentation down even more. Doughs with very high sugar levels need very high levels of yeast to compensate for the slow fermentation
 

 

SHORTENING

There are many types of shortenings on the market. The best shortening to use is a yeast raised vegetable shortening. Animal shortenings have too much flavor for a yeast donut and animal shortenings are very bad tasting on shelf life. Animal shortenings go rancid too fast. Use vegetable shortenings for the bland flavor.

A yeast raised shortening is a partially hydrogenated oil with monoglycerides added. Partial hydrogenation makes an oil solid at room temperature. Oils can be used but they will make a donut that collapses more and with a higher fat absorption. Monoglycerides is a very general term. Only one monoglyceride is functional in yeast raised dough and that one is glycerol monostearate (GMS). GMS is the only monoglyceride that functions as a crumb softener. GMS content of a good yeast raised shortening will be 5 to 10%. Powdered monoglycerides are a blend of GMS and GMO. The GMO is used to make the GMS soluble in water. Straight GMS must be melted into fat in order for it to be functional. GMO is not functional in yeast raised products even though it is a monoglyceride. In other words you are paying top dollar for a non functional ingredient!
 

YEAST

Yeast is a living ingredient. Care must be taken with yeast so that it is not stressed or killed.

Compressed yeast or cream yeast is the best yeast to use. This yeast has been stressed the least. Compressed yeast is in a semi dormant state that will allow the yeast to have a shelf life of about 7 days. Do not use old yeast. Do not use hot yeast that has broken down. Yeast should feel cold and dry, not sticky.

Compressed yeast must be kept cold and not allowed to warm up. Once compressed yeast is warmed up the yeast starts fermenting itself (eating itself) and the temperature increases more. This process is very hard to stop and will destroy the yeast. Once the yeast cell has been ruptured due to this process the enzymes that where contained in the yeast are released into the dough. These enzymes will destroy the dough. Yeast must be kept in a sealed bag, this will also keep the yeast in a dormant stage.

Dry yeast takes much too long to come out of dormancy. The dry process stresses the yeast far too much and the short fermentation of yeast donuts does not give the yeast a chance to "come back". Dry yeast requires much longer fermentation times.

Pure granulated sugar and salt are poisonous to yeast. Never scale the yeast directly on top of sugar or salt. Keep the two separated until mixing.