Confectionery shops start preparing a week before Fat Thursday
As Janusz Profus noticed, confectionery shops achieve on Fat Thursday, the turnover is up to 30 times higher than on a daily basis, but the preparations for the big donut frying and then returning to the daily routine take confectioners up to a week.
– Before Fat Thursday, the plant must be equipped, rearmed, and practically all employees must be involved in the work making donuts. WITH After Fat Thursday, the plant must be cleaned and the equipment must be prepared for normal operation, according to a daily schedule – explained the president of the confectioners’ association.
He pointed out that Fat Thursday is not only a chance for confectioners to earn more, but also confusion and a lot of extra work. – Many of us would prefer the demand for donuts to be spread more evenly throughout the carnival, instead of accumulating. But anyway, I don’t know a confectionery shop that doesn’t fry donuts on Fat Thursday, he admitted.
On Fat Thursday, confectioneries focus more on quantity than quality
In his opinion, in some confectioneries, you can count on a better taste of donuts on another day, because on Fat Thursday, bets focus primarily on quantity, which may affect quality.
– For example the proofing temperature is increased (dough rising time) to speed it up. Frying fat is replaced less frequently than expected, or its temperature is not maintained properly. In addition, freshly fried donuts are packed too quickly – said Janusz Profus.
How much should a quality donut cost?
He said that significant differences in the price of donuts often result from the ingredients used. And the price is approx PLN 10 for a high-quality donut is justified by the plant’s costs – he assessed. He pointed out confectioneries where you have to pay multiple times this amount for a donut, but also those where “decent ones cost less.”
Taste sensations are an individual matter – a donut that delights one person may be average in the opinion of another – said the expert. However, he indicated the objective characteristics of a high-quality product.
What characterizes a good donut?
– The donut must be fluffy and filled with good, aromatic filling. It’s great if the filling is fried together with the dough and does not end up in the donut after frying, because then the donut is permeated with its aroma. Most confectioneries use the second, simpler method, but during my internship I learned how to stuff raw dough. And the important thing: you should have a donut characteristic white border. However, whether it should be with icing, icing or powdered sugar depends on each of us’ preferences – he said.
ABOUT the quality of donut dough is determined by, among others, number of eggs used.
– To make the donuts really great, you need to add 40 egg yolks to a kilogram of flour and a quarter of a kilogram of good butter, not margarine. A glass of pure spirit is added to this, which prevents the dough from absorbing fat. You can use much cheaper vinegar, but then you run the risk that it will be noticeable in the taste later – said Janusz Profus.
– Good donuts should be fried in fresh refined lardnot vegetable fat – he emphasized.
The filling contained in them also influences the quality and cost of preparing donuts. The expert indicated that it should be aromatic, and the source of the flavor can only be natural ingredients.
– I admit that I am a supporter of the donut tradition. So, although I do not despise good jams, e.g. cherry jam, I value rose filling the most. They are made from flakes ground with sugar and lemon juice. (…) in Poland we have excellent crops of this flower intended for culinary purposes. On donuts, on the other hand, I like the frosting made of fondant cooked in syrup, with orange peel, said the confectionery master.
Unusual donuts
Profus noticed that some confectioneries, in addition to classic donuts, also offer lesser-known variations. – Donuts with lawyer or whipped cream could be bought already in the 1970s. Nowadays, donuts with pistachio filling are a novelty, gaining popularity due to the fashion for Dubai chocolate. They are also interesting donuts with matcha, i.e. Japanese green teawhich became a hit among young consumers, he noted.
How many donuts do Poles plan to eat?
According to UCE Research, 84% of people declare eating a donut on Fat Thursday. adult Poles, and nearly 60 percent intends to eat 2-4 pieces.
– From my experience as a confectioner and a donut lover, you can eat more of these fresh, still warm ones. We held competitions at the confectionery school. The best competitors can eat up to 20 donuts – recalled the president of the Association of Confectioners, Caramel Makers and Ice Cream Makers.
