My donut become smaller after cut

[BabeBaker]

Hi everyone,

I have the problem with my donut after cut is getting smaller ,,and the bottom side is much smaller then up side. I think i miss some steps.here what i did ,
I rolled out the dough, then i cut it. and then it get shrink.

Could anyone tell me the step? and how to relax the dough after roll ?

 

[retired baker]

Hi everyone,

I have the problem with my donut after cut is getting smaller ,,and the bottom side is much smaller then up side. I think i miss some steps.here what i did ,
I rolled out the dough, then i cut it. and then it get shrink.

Could anyone tell me the step? and how to relax the dough after roll ?

It looks over developed, over mixed , wrong flour etc. improper proof time, could be many causes.
Needing a bit more relax time, fluff it after rolling and give it a minute to relax after rolling before cutting.

 

[BabeBaker]

It looks over developed, over mixed , wrong flour etc. improper proof time, could be many causes.
Needing a bit more relax time, fluff it after rolling and give it a minute to relax after rolling before cutting.

@retired baker thank for your advise, i will do it again,,, rolling the dough, and try to make it relax as posible as i can and cut it.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Hi everyone,

I have the problem with my donut after cut is getting smaller ,,and the bottom side is much smaller then up side. I think i miss some steps.here what i did ,
I rolled out the dough, then i cut it. and then it get shrink.

Could anyone tell me the step? and how to relax the dough after roll ?

Are they shrinking back as soon as you make the cut, before you remove any of the scrapes? Because the photo looks like proofed doughnuts, not freshly cut doughnuts.

Because that what you say is your problem makes a difference.

What your photo looks like is already proofed doughnuts that were proofed at the wrong temperature and humidity. Proofing temperature should be 95°F - 100° F (35°C to 37.8° C). Humidity should be between 80% and 85%. Are you using a proofing box?

Now if you showed a photo of rolled dough with the cutouts and all scraps still in place, nothing was removed yet, and and there was noticeable space between what would be the scrap dough, the doughnuts, and the doughnut holes, that would be shrinkage.

Shrinking during the cut is a different cause what you are showing in the photo.

 

[BabeBaker]

Are they shrinking back as soon as you make the cut, before you remove any of the scrapes? Because the photo looks like proofed doughnuts, not freshly cut doughnuts.

Because that what you say is your problem makes a difference.

What your photo looks like is already proofed doughnuts that were proofed at the wrong temperature and humidity. Proofing temperature should be 95°F - 100° F (35°C to 37.8° C). Humidity should be between 80% and 85%. Are you using a proofing box?

Now if you showed a photo of rolled dough with the cutouts and all scraps still in place, nothing was removed yet, and and there was noticeable space between what would be the scrap dough, the doughnuts, and the doughnut holes, that would be shrinkage.

Shrinking during the cut is a different cause what you are showing in the photo.

@Norcalbaker59 the donuts were just cut,,, and the problem maybe ,,,,after rolling i didnot do the proper relaxing the dough to let the air underneath out. i will try again this morning

 

[Norcalbaker59]

@Norcalbaker59 the donuts were just cut,,, and the problem maybe ,,,,after rolling i didnot do the proper relaxing the dough to let the air underneath out. i will try again this morning

Doughnut dough is rolled to ¼" to ½" thick; the photo is definitely not of dough of that thickness. So either those are proofed doughnuts or you are not rolling to the proper thickness.



If they are shrinking right after cutting, then you have too much gluten in the dough. That means you already have a problem. Letting the dough “rest” isn’t going to fix it. You have to do everything correctly from the start.

Assuming your formula is good. Assuming you are doing rolling and cutting by hand.


Are you using DDT?

Desired Dough Temperature (DDT): This is the temperature your dough should be after you finish mixing.
It‘s important you control the rate of fermentation, and the only way to do that is to control the temperature of the dough.

• small batch (1 gallon or less) bench bulk temperature of 80°F - 82° F (26.7°C to 27.8° C)
• larger dough, 76°F - 78° F (24°C to 26° C) your dough temperature exceeds 90° F (32.2° C)

If the dough temperature is too high it will ferment too rapidly and "gas out," before you can complete make-up. You could be working with a dough that is over-fermented. Among other things, an over-fermented dough will produce a low volume, high grease absorption, light crust color, and reduced shelf life due to low shortening absorption.

If the dough temperature is too low, it slows the rate of fermentation. You’re probably not working with a dough that is under fermented. You would have a tight blistered doughnuts.

What’s the temperature in bakery during bench fermentation? That’s important. 85° F is max you want dough to sit in a room. If it’s hotter, then you need to think about putting it in a proofer where you can control the temperature.

Take care not to over mix the dough and developed too much gluten

Do not added too much flour in the rolling; you only need to dust the rolling surface to prevent sticking. Over use of flour is biggest mistake used in bakeries.

Do not over-work the dough in rolling; the dough should be rolled, do not press and smash down on the dough, and stretch and pull it

 

[BabeBaker]

@Norcalbaker I have adjusted the room temperature,,,,relax the dough after rolling by taking the air underneath the dough,try and to push it to original shape before cut,,,,,now the bottom of donut is opened almost same size as upper. thank you and appreciated your comment . and @retired baker also.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

@Norcalbaker I have adjusted the room temperature,,,,relax the dough after rolling by taking the air underneath the dough,try and to push it to original shape before cut,,,,,now the bottom of donut is opened almost same size as upper. thank you and appreciated your comment . and @retired baker also. View attachment 3173

those look much better. Donut dough is extremely sensitive to temperature and humidity. With all baking—but especially donut though you have to work to DDT and control your temperatures through the proofing process. Otherwise it effects dough quality, makeup time, finished quality, and product shelf life.

 

[LamsMekk]

@Norcalbaker I have adjusted the room temperature,,,,relax the dough after rolling by taking the air underneath the dough,try and to push it to original shape before cut,,,,,now the bottom of donut is opened almost same size as upper. thank you and appreciated your comment . and @retired baker also. View attachment 3173

Wow these look amazing

Do you have professional training?

 

[Dasher]

Hi everyone,

I have the problem with my donut after cut is getting smaller ,,and the bottom side is much smaller then up side. I think i miss some steps.here what i did ,
I rolled out the dough, then i cut it. and then it get shrink.

Could anyone tell me the step? and how to relax the dough after roll ?

You may need to relax the dough after rolling it out. Take the edges and flap it just after rolling it out. Making sure that you have enough flour on the dough board (so that the dough doesn’t stick.)

 

[Mona]

You actively listen to and write comments for a wide range of podcasts, including 'Hysterical,' 'The Tucker Carlson Show,' 'The Daily,' 'Crime Junkie,' 'Pod Save America,' and many more. Additionally, you work as a content writer and are involved with podcasts such as 'Call Her Daddy,' 'Sword and Scale,' and 'Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams.

 

[Jessie_Roos]

Hi there!

It sounds like you're having a bit of trouble with your donuts shrinking after cutting. This can definitely be frustrating, but it's a common issue that can usually be fixed with a few adjustments.

First, make sure your dough isn't too warm when you cut it. If the dough is too warm, it can cause the donuts to shrink during frying. Try chilling your dough for a bit before rolling it out to keep it firm.

Second, consider the thickness of your dough. If it’s too thin, it might shrink more during cooking. Aim for a consistent thickness, typically around 1/2 inch.

Lastly, after cutting the donuts, let them rest for about 10-15 minutes before frying. This resting period allows the gluten to relax, which can help prevent shrinking.

If you’re still having trouble, it might be worth checking your recipe and making sure your proportions of ingredients are correct, as too much flour or too little fat can also affect how the dough behaves.

Hope this helps, and happy frying!

 

[BabeBaker]

Hi there!

It sounds like you're having a bit of trouble with your donuts shrinking after cutting. This can definitely be frustrating, but it's a common issue that can usually be fixed with a few adjustments.

First, make sure your dough isn't too warm when you cut it. If the dough is too warm, it can cause the donuts to shrink during frying. Try chilling your dough for a bit before rolling it out to keep it firm.

Second, consider the thickness of your dough. If it’s too thin, it might shrink more during cooking. Aim for a consistent thickness, typically around 1/2 inch.

Lastly, after cutting the donuts, let them rest for about 10-15 minutes before frying. This resting period allows the gluten to relax, which can help prevent shrinking.

If you’re still having trouble, it might be worth checking your recipe and making sure your proportions of ingredients are correct, as too much flour or too little fat can also affect how the dough behaves.

Hope this helps, and happy frying!

Thank you for your explanation, after went thru a lot of problem the past two years. Now I can master it. I do the best of it if there is no problem from factory. Thank you very much.