Donuts, by nature, are double circled pieces of sugary pastry; the snack comes dessert is beloved by many. But were you aware that this pastry has over a dozen different types, each more delightful than the other? Doughnuts have initially been a Roman and Greek savoury snack that was not meant to be sweet. But over time, their recipe evolved, and they became sweeter. And today, doughnuts are primarily a sweet food.
Besides the difference in sweetness, the procedure of making doughnuts also differs. Some recipes will call for a yeast-based dough, while others require leaving agents. There are other unique kinds as well; read more about them below:
Yeast Donut
Also called ‘raised donuts’, yeast-based doughnuts are the earliest version of the doughnut. These doughnuts tend to be more bread-like and softer (almost cushiony).
The only disadvantage of these is they take longer since the yeast needs time to activate.
Cake Donuts
Most doughnuts sold in bakeries and confectioneries are cake doughnuts. So if you want a quick and easy doughnut, these are the ones to make.
These are also great if you like to decorate doughnuts with icing and buttercream. But they have a much rougher texture than raised doughnuts.
Potato Donuts
With a similar texture to cake doughnuts, potato doughnuts are made from mashed potatoes or potato starch. Light and airy, potato doughnuts have an exciting flavour profile.
Beignets
Beignet is the French brother of doughnuts. They are deep-fried fritters, but they do not have the classic doughnut shape. Instead, they are yeast-based and are often piped with custard or chocolate filling.
Cruller
Another unusual doughnut variety is the cruller. They have a unique twisted shape that may be rectangular or square.
Their flavour is a cross between cake and yeast doughnuts. They are frequently covered with vanilla glaze and dusted with cinnamon.
Doughnut Holes
Doughnut holes are centric remains of regular doughnuts.
