Expanding Your Current Bakery Business: Everything You Need to add Doughnuts to Your Menu

Whether you are expanding your bakery business or looking to refresh your offerings, adding doughnuts to the menu is an easy way to increase sales. Doughnuts are an ever popular sweet treat due to their versatility and convenience. This classic on-the-go snack is a staple feature in cafes, bakeries and businesses across the UK.

On face value, doughnut making may seem complicated but with good ingredients, and the right equipment, they can be an easy win for your bakery business. With options for fillings and toppings seemingly endless, you can cater for everyone’s taste. In this guide, we will cover everything you need to add doughnuts to your menu.

Best Equipment for Doughnut Making

Dough Mixers

Because you will be working with dough, it’s important to use a mixer with a dough hook or dough spiral rather than a wire whip head or flat beater. This is because a dough spiral spins and kneads the dough in a similar motion to hand kneading which helps create the perfect dough texture and consistency. By using a spiral mixer, the dough will become completely smooth and slightly tacky but hold its shape well. 

To go one step further, consider a twin arm mixer that mimics the actions of a baker’s arms when kneading dough. The result is an extremely high-quality dough.

Proving Cupboards

Another key step in doughnut making, and achieving a great dough, is allowing it time to prove (or proof) the last rise before dough is cooked. Depending on the scale of your operation, you can simply place the kneaded dough into a covered bowl and allow it to double in size. Alternately, for larger batches, consider a proving cupboard for your bakery business to achieve the perfect rise every time.

Dough Dividers or Dough Cutters

While manually dividing your dough is an option, larger scale kitchens and bakeries will always prefer to ensure consistency by using a dough divider. These handy machines simplify the cutting process by splitting dough into equally sized pieces before rolling out.

Alternately, roll out your dough onto a cutting board or work surface, and divide using a hand held dough cutter. Classic jam-filled doughnuts simply need cutting into a circle shape using a large cutter. If you are creating ring doughnuts then you can then use a smaller dough cutter to remove the centre.

Doughnut Fryers

Once your dough is perfectly prepared, complete the process by using a doughnut fryer to ensure that the doughnuts cook evenly on all sides. Commercial doughnut fryers are specifically designed for frying doughnuts in a circular doughnut-shaped cooking chamber that allows the doughnuts to float in the oil while they cook. 

Consistency is key to a successful bakery business and by investing in a doughnut fryer, you benefit from the perfect doughnut every time. Commercial doughnut fryers are typically larger and more powerful than home models, making them well suited for bakery businesses, doughnut shops and other food service businesses.

Cooling Rack or Wire

Some of our floor standing doughnut fryers incorporate shelves beneath the fryer for cooling your doughnuts once they are browned to perfection. The convenience of an all-in-one cooking and cooling station can’t be undervalued in a busy bakery business. 

However some bakers may require a separate cooling wire or shelf system to accommodate for space restrictions in their kitchen environment. Additionally, some may simply need more cooling equipment to keep up with the demand for delicious freshly baked doughnuts.

Fillers

Once your doughnuts are out of the doughnut fryer and cool, you can fill the middle with anything your heart desires. For ease, use a depositor filler also known as a doughnut filler. Whether you’re opting for sweet raspberry jam, creamy custard or tart lemon curd, filling your doughnut adds an extra level of sweetness and excitement when you take the first bite.

According to a recent YouGov survey, Britons of all ages prefer a round filled doughnut in comparison to ring doughnuts that do not usually have a filling. So adding a hand pump filler to your arsenal of baking equipment makes sense. Everyone has a favourite flavour, but Britain’s favourite doughnut filling is the classic raspberry jam.

Small to Medium Bakeries 

If your bakery business is a small business, we offer much of the equipment needed in doughnut making in a convenient and portable option. Mixers with dough hooks fit the bowl tightly and enable you to create either large or very small batches in the same bowl without worry.

In addition to the floor standing 80 piece doughnut fryers, we also offer smaller fryers with a 24 piece tabletop capacity. They are manufactured with the baker’s space at heart, enabling you to produce multiple batches of doughnuts in an hour while being compact enough for smaller worktops.

Doughnut History and Popularity 

Doughnuts have been enjoyed for centuries throughout Europe and remain popular to this day. The word doughnut seems to have originated in England around 1750 with a recipe for fried dough ‘nuts’ was published in The Country Housewife’s Family Companion. 

Fast forward to today and doughnuts remain increasingly popular around the globe; America alone consumes over ten billion doughnuts every year. By adding this classic sweet treat to your menu, you can only increase your chance of business success. With so many varieties and flavours possible, all you have to do now is get creative with your recipe.

Where to buy your doughnut making equipment

By following this easy guide, you now know everything you need to expand your bakery business by adding doughnuts to your menu. With the correct tools, you will easily be able to create consistently delicious, airy and light doughnuts for your customers to enjoy.

Sourcing your doughnut-making equipment couldn’t be simpler. You’ll find everything you need from Creeds Direct, a family-run business offering high-spec equipment to all bakeries, big or small. Shop with us today for high-quality professional equipment from a friendly team of ex-professional bakers.