Flour vs. Fiber Doughnuts

I must get this right. I am obsessed with making fantastic doughnuts. This morning I made doughnuts using a "cake type" recipe from a usually reliable cookbook, The Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, (approximate title). Better than the last time but not what I wanted. The first iteration of this recipe was made with self-rising flour, my frequent cheat. Awful! The flour was too soft (low protein content), so the doughnuts absorbed too much oil and were crumbly.

Today's version (second iteration) was made using an all-purpose flour. The original dough was too moist (like a paste) so I added flour to made a soft dough. I rolled and cut the doughnuts before chilling. The results were OK, but reinforced the fact that I prefer a yeast-raised doughnut.

It's important to note that professional bakers do NOT use all-purpose flour. The protein content of flour formulations makes a huge difference in the final product. I spent the rest of the morning skimming the food science literature and perusing the King Arthur Flour Website.

I could probably do better with a knit or crocheted doughnut. Healthier too.