Gordon Gee's video: Y uti o

Yóutiáo, or sometimes known as Chinese Long Doughnut or Chinese Cruller and numerous other names. Very popular in various Asian countries, many people have them for breakfast with a sup of soy milk, tea, or coffee, and of course with Congee. I’ve even dusted them with cinnamon sugar to eat like a churro! The first 2 times I made these by following various recipes and videos on the internet, they were a failure. It wasn’t until I got good at making breads and learning some theory behind bread that I finally had success with Yóutiáo, incorporating various techniques and getting a “feel” for the dough. One thing that I stumbled upon is the addition of a very small amount of Alum, usually used to keep pickles fresh and crunchy. Not sure what it does exactly, but I’ve done Yóutiáo with and without, and believe it makes a slight difference to the crispness and texture. I begin by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl with warm water, and allowing it to autolyze for about ½ hour before mixing in the yeast. I’ve also just replaced a portion of the flour and water with active sourdough instead of using yeast with good results for a slightly chewier texture, but the result is not quite as light and crisp. When the dough comes together in a smooth mass after mixing, place in an oiled bowl, letting it rest for at least an hour and doing a set of stretch and folds. Repeat 2 or 3 times and then place in the fridge overnight for a cold proof. When ready to fry, remove from the fridge and carefully stretch the dough out to a rectangle of about ¼ “ thickness, cut into strips stacking each onto another, and pressing together with an oiled chopstick. Pull each stacked piece gently to stretch. In this case, I cut my strips in half as the longer strip is a bit too long for my deep fryer. Fry in oil at about 365°F to 370°F, initially turning a few times as it comes to the surface to ensure that the Yóutiáo straightens as it cooks, and fry each until crispy and golden. Drain and allow to cool on a cooling rack. Enjoy as I have with a bowl of Congee (Pictured congee; turkey bone broth with Shiitake, brown lentils, carrots, suey choy, and a bit of bok choy. Topped with pei dan, and crispy fried onion) cut into pieces and served as a whole donut on the side. Once you've had these, it's hard to go back to the greasy, heavier ones usually available fresh or frozen from the store. 225 g flour 2 T oil 5 g baking powder ¼ t alum powder 5 g salt 150 g warm water Yeast Asian Influenced Music in this video courtesy of Lobo Loco - Under the Frost Crust (ID 1117)