why do donuts have holes in the middle?

Answer 1

1847
(As another story goes....) In 1847, another New England ship captain's enjoyed his mother's pastries. Made using a deep-fried spiced dough, Elizabeth Gregory put hazelnuts or walnuts in the center, where the dough might not cook through - "doughnuts." Captain Hanson Gregory claimed credit for originating the hole in the doughnut. Originally, he cut the hole using the top of a round tin pepper box. This made more uniform frying possible with increased surface area.
Another explanation by trallyland-

The origins of Doughnuts

The true origin of today's doughnut is among the most colourful of old, tall tales of the sea. Historians agree the doughnut originated with Hanson Crockett Gregory, a sea captain of Rockport, Maine. One version of the story tells how his crew encountered a terrible storm. While this fierce tempest raged, the ship's cook appeared bringing popular fried Dutch cakes to Gregory as he fought to keep his vessel on an even course. Then a giant wave struck and the vessel lurched precariously.

As it caught the crew off guard, Gregory slammed his cake down onto the spoke of the ship's wheel. When order was restored and the cake removed it had a hole through the middle. The central portion, which was sometimes (reputedly) soggy, had gone.

An alternative account names Gregory as the Captain of the good ship Frypan. In this version a number of his crew had eaten fried cakes to excess. Indeed the sailors were so sated that several fell overboard and drowned. Gregory was devastated. The fried cakes were banned. All agreed they were too heavy. In his anger the distraught captain poked holes in all the remaining cakes. Now they were not only lighter, but they resembled life preservers.

Whichever incident is closer to the facts, Gregory made his findings public and Maine seamen enjoyed the cakes with the holes. Ninety four years later (1941), a great debate was held in New York's grand Hotel Astor. Among its principle speakers was Gregory's descendant, F E Crocket of Camden, Maine. He threw cold water on the seagoing invention stories, pointing out that Captain H C Gregory was a mere fifteen year old when both events were said to have occurred. Were the dates wrong? Or was F E Crocket right? He believed that Hanson had simply told his mother to remove the centre of her fried cakes to rid them of the soggy bit in the middle.

Another delegate, Chief High Eagle, a Wampanoag tribesman, said his people created the doughnut when several of their arrows missed settlers, striking Pilgrim's cakes instead. In 1872 John Blondel of Thomaston, Maine, took out a patent on a spring loaded doughnut hole machine and by the Great War doughnuts were so popular that the Salvation Army sent them to American troops. Mass production began with a machine introduced by a Bulgarian immigrant; Arnold Levitt in 1921. After World War Two , Levitt founded the Donut Corporation of America.

As for Captain Gregory, a plaque was installed at his birthplace in 1947.

Answer 2

Because the donut gnomes stole them.

They are in league with the underpants gnomes in search of elusive profits. We still don't know the middle stage between stealing the donut holes and profit, but we are trying to crack the code before the gnomes do.

Answer 3

Not absolutely sure that this is correct, but an old pastry chef that I used to work with told me that the reason is that it was first done to permit easy transport from the work table to the fryer. The holes were cut out to allow them to be loaded onto a long slender wooden rod for transport, allowing the maker to drop them into the oil more than 2 or 3 at a time. That made for bigger, more consistent batches of doughnuts.

Answer 4

properly you’ve initiated the self-destruct sequence, as a thank you to be precise, you at present have basically 40 two seconds left. i'm hoping you’re happy. easily, it’s basically 38 seconds now. i'd desire to learn how to form swifter. ok… 35 seconds and counting…. counting DOWN, suggestions you… why aren’t you working!? 32… 31… 30… Get outta there, Dalek! Whew. That replaced into close. WAIT… you gotta flow returned!! You forgot the the remainder of the donuts!!! You’ve nonetheless have been given 17 seconds… be a hero!

Answer 5

Some donuts do not have holes in them, but those that do follow the old receipe for handling and cooking, so that they can be created quicker by carrying them on a pole

Answer 6

Donut makers are extremely stingy people. It's the perfect way to cheat people out of some dough.

Answer 7

To avoid the wet/uncooked center when the outer shell is already browned in the hot oil.
They also sell the doughnut holes that look like hushpuppies.

Answer 8

http://www.goodcooking.com/ckbookrv/donuts/donuts_rev.htm

Answer 9

To hang them up when you are not so hungry but might get hungry later.

Answer 10

so the middle would cook