If you’ve ever walked past a Greggs or a local bakery in the UK, you know the sight. It’s that twisted, glistening, slightly rectangular slab of dough that looks like a doughnut but somehow feels much more sophisticated. It’s the Yum Yum. People often wonder, how do you make yum yums without ending up with a greasy, heavy mess? Honestly, it’s not just a "twisted doughnut." If you treat it like a standard ring doughnut, you’ve already lost. It’s a hybrid. It is the love child of a flaky croissant and a pillowy yeast doughnut.
You need layers.
Most people mess this up because they skip the lamination. They think a quick yeast dough and a deep fryer will get them there. It won’t. You’ll get a twisted doughnut, sure, but you won't get a Yum Yum. A real Yum Yum has a specific "pull-apart" texture that only comes from folding butter into the dough. It’s a simplified version of puff pastry technique, often called "rough puff" lamination, applied to a sweetened yeast base.
Why Lamination Changes Everything
Let's get into the science of it for a second. When you ask how do you make yum yums, you’re actually asking how to manage fat distribution. In a standard doughnut, the fat is mixed thoroughly into the dough. In a Yum Yum, you want thin streaks of butter trapped between layers of yeast dough. When that hits the 180°C oil, the water in the butter turns to steam. That steam expands, pushing the dough layers apart before the yeast even has a chance to fully react. That’s where the flake comes from.
It’s messy. You’ll probably get butter on your counter. You might even get frustrated when the dough feels too springy to roll out. That's normal.
The ingredients aren't fancy. You need strong bread flour—don't even try this with all-purpose or plain flour, as it lacks the protein (gluten) needed to hold those layers. You need high-quality unsalted butter, whole milk, a bit of sugar, and fast-action yeast. The real trick, though, is the temperature. If your kitchen is too hot, the butter melts into the dough, and you’re back to square one: a regular doughnut.
The Basic "Rough Puff" Dough Formula
Start by mixing about 500g of strong bread flour with 7g of fast-action yeast and 50g of caster sugar. Add a pinch of salt, but keep it away from the yeast at first so it doesn't kill it. Rub in about 50g of cold butter until it looks like breadcrumbs. This gives the base dough some richness. Then, pour in roughly 300ml of warm milk. Not hot. Warm.
Once you have a soft dough, knead it.
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You want it smooth.
Now, here is the part where you actually answer the question of how do you make yum yums properly: the folding. Take 200g of cold butter and flatten it between two sheets of parchment paper into a rectangle. Chill it. Roll your dough out into a larger rectangle, place the butter in the middle, and fold the dough over it like a letter. Roll it out again. Fold it again. This creates those distinctive layers. You need to do this at least three times, chilling the dough for 30 minutes between each "turn."
If you skip the chill, the butter leaks. If the butter leaks, the oil in your fryer will foam up like a science fair volcano. It's dangerous and ruins the flavor.
Shaping and the "Twist" Technique
Once your dough is laminated and chilled, roll it out to about 1cm thickness. Cut it into long strips. This is where the signature look happens.
Most professional bakers, like those at British supermarket chains or high-end patisseries, use a simple "twist and fold" method. You take a strip, twist it three or four times until it looks like a piece of rope, and then gently press the ends together. Don't press too hard or you'll kill the rise at the tips.
The Second Proof
This is the hardest part. You have to wait.
The shaped Yum Yums need to sit on a lined baking tray in a warm, draft-free spot for about 45 to 60 minutes. They should look puffy and slightly fragile. If you poke one gently with your finger, the indentation should spring back slowly. If it springs back instantly, it needs more time. If it doesn't spring back at all, you've over-proofed it, and it might collapse in the oil.
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The Frying Paradox: Hot but Not Too Hot
How do you fry a Yum Yum without it soaking up half a liter of oil? Temperature control. You want your oil—vegetable or sunflower oil works best—at exactly 170°C to 180°C.
- If it’s 160°C, the dough sits in the oil too long, the butter melts out, and the oil seeps in. You get a heavy, greasy stick of dough.
- If it’s 190°C, the outside burns before the laminated center is cooked. You get a raw, doughy middle.
Use a thermometer. Seriously.
Fry them for about 2 minutes per side. They should be a deep, golden brown. Because of the sugar in the dough and the butter layers, they will brown faster than a standard bread roll. Keep an eye on them. Use a slotted spoon to flip them gently.
The Glaze: The Secret to the Shine
A Yum Yum isn't a Yum Yum without that crackly, sugary shell. The glaze is essentially a "dip" made of icing sugar, a splash of water, and a hint of vanilla. Some people use a "boiled glaze" which is more stable. To do this, you simmer sugar and water until it reaches a thin syrup stage, then whisk in icing sugar.
Dip them while they are still warm.
Not hot—warm. If they are straight out of the fryer, the glaze will just run off and disappear. If they are cold, the glaze will sit in a thick, opaque clump. You want that translucent, window-pane effect where you can still see the twists of the dough through the sugar.
Common Mistakes People Make
Most home cooks fail because they treat Yum Yums like a quick afternoon project. They aren't. They are a labor of love.
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One major issue is using "spreadable" butter or margarine. Don't do it. Margarine has too much water and a lower melting point; it will vanish into the dough during the folding process, leaving you with zero layers. Another mistake is the "crowded fryer." If you put six Yum Yums in a small pot, the oil temperature drops instantly. The dough will boil instead of fry.
Flavor Variations and Modern Twists
While the classic version is just vanilla-glazed, the UK bakery scene has started getting weird with it. You’ll see salted caramel glazes, chocolate drizzles, or even "loaded" Yum Yums sliced down the middle and filled with sweetened cream. Honestly, the classic is usually best, but a bit of lemon zest in the dough can cut through the richness of the butter beautifully.
Real-World Tips from Bakery Pros
If you look at how commercial bakeries handle this, they often use a "dough conditioner" or a bit of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C powder) to strengthen the gluten. You don't need this at home, but if you're struggling with the dough tearing during the laminating process, a tiny pinch of Vitamin C powder can help.
Also, professional kitchens often use a "proofer"—a humid, warm box. You can mimic this at home by putting your tray of shaped Yum Yums in a cold oven with a bowl of boiling water at the bottom. The steam keeps the surface of the dough moist so it can expand fully without cracking.
Actionable Steps for Your First Batch
If you’re ready to tackle this, here is your game plan. Don't wing it.
- Check your yeast. Mix it with a little warm milk and sugar first. If it doesn't bubble in five minutes, throw it away and buy new yeast. There is nothing worse than laminating dead dough.
- Clear your fridge. You need a flat space to chill the dough between folds. If the dough has to be bent or folded to fit in the fridge, you’ll ruin the layers.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot. A cast-iron Dutch oven is perfect for frying because it holds heat much better than a thin stainless steel pot.
- The Glaze Test. Dip a scrap piece of fried dough into your glaze first. If it’s too thin, add more icing sugar. If it’s too thick, add a teaspoon of milk or water.
- Drain properly. Set the fried Yum Yums on a wire rack over a baking sheet, not just on paper towels. Air needs to circulate around them so the bottom doesn't get soggy while they cool.
Making these at home is a bit of a marathon, but the difference between a homemade, butter-laminated Yum Yum and a plastic-wrapped supermarket version is night and day. You get a crunch on the outside, a pull in the middle, and a flavor that isn't just "sweet," but actually tastes like toasted grain and high-quality dairy. Once you master the fold, you'll never look at a standard doughnut the same way again.