1Donuts used to be called oily cakes because they were deep-fried in pork fat. Nice!
2They were ball-shaped when Dutch pilgrims brought them to America.
3But then someone found that removing a nut of the dough in the centre helped them cook far more evenly.
4And so, the doughnut was born.
5Thank goodness for that!
6In the world of doughnuts, there are two basic types, yeast doughnuts and cake doughnuts.
7The batter for cake doughnuts drops from the mixer right into boiling vegetable oil.
8The nozzles shape the dough as it passes.
9The doughnuts fry for about a minute and a half,
10then a conveyor carries them out of the vat to cool.
11Yeast doughnuts require more time to make.
12A high-speed mixer works the yeast dough,
13then workers pull it off the machine into bins.
14From there, it goes into a hopper that extrudes the dough as a sheet.
15Then it's on to another conveyor belt,
16where a series of rollers flatten the dough sheet to just two centimetres thick.
17Next, the sheet passes under a shower of cinnamon,
18then hits a rotating cylinder that rolls it into a log.
19A small metal rod sprinkles the dough with water.
20This keeps it sticky so it holds its shape while going under another flattening roller.
21A dusting of cornstarch keeps the dough from sticking to the blade that now cuts it into pieces.
22A retractable arm drops the blocks of dough, four at a time, onto a wire mesh tray.
23Then it's off to the proofer, a machine much like a large bread box,
24in which heat and humidity make the yeast dough rise.
25This leavening process takes about 20 minutes,
26during which time the trays, over 300 of them, go up and down, and then out to the fryer.
27A gate slows them down just before the drop, so they slide in without splashing.
28Gas burners keep the oil at a constant temperature.
29Anything less and the doughnuts would come out partly raw.
30Halfway through, it's time to flip the doughnuts so they cook evenly throughout.
31After two minutes, the doughnuts leave the fryer and move through a curtain of sweet glaze.
32A strong air current blows off the excess and they're done.
33They gradually cool as they spiral through the production area on their way to packaging.
34Now let's see how they make donuts with filling.
35A machine separates the yeast dough into little blobs
36then sends them rolling down plastic tunnels.
37This shapes them first into little pugs, then into rounded dough balls.
38Rollers flatten the balls before they enter the proofer to rise.
39There's cornstarch everywhere to prevent the dough from sticking to the machinery or to the conveyor belt.
40Row after row of doughnuts fry in hot oil.
41Then slide into a large drum that tumbles them around, covering them with a sugary coating.
42Now it's time for the doughnuts to get their fill.
43These nozzles inject just the right amount of jam, two at a time.
44Each worker fills 45 doughnuts a minute.
45After filling, these doughnuts, known as Bismarcks, are ready to go onto packaging.
46They're just one of the many delicious varieties that make devouring a doughnut a wholly wonderful experience.
47Sorry, I'm hungry now. I've got to go.