‘No-rise’ Easter Doughnuts
Photography by Claire Aldous.
Dip these gorgeous little warm doughnuts into a bowl of good quality purchased vanilla bean custard for even more finger licking deliciousness!
INGREDIENTS
1⅔ cups plain flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon each ground cinnamon and nutmeg
¼ teaspoon each ground cloves and allspice
¼ cup currants, finely chopped, optional
1/3 cup caster sugar
¼ cup melted butter
finely grated zest 1 orange
100ml milk
1 egg, size 7 (large)
Cinnamon sugar
½ cup caster sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
To cook
vegetable oil for frying
METHOD
Doughnuts: Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, all the spices, currants and the caster sugar in a bowl. Whisk the butter, zest, milk and egg together and stir into the dry ingredients to make a thick dough.
Roll spoonfuls of the dough in the palm of your hands and place on a lined tray or just scoop out with two teaspoons for a more rustic look. Dust your hands lightly in flour if they’re a bit sticky. You should have about 20.
Cinnamon sugar: Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish.
To cook: Put 6cm of vegetable oil in a deep, small to medium-sized saucepan and heat to 160°C on a sugar thermometer or until a piece of bread dropped into the oil turns golden in 30 seconds.
Working in batches, carefully lower the donuts into the oil and cook for 3 minutes, gently stirring for even browning. Don’t overcrowd the pan, as the oil temperature will drop rapidly and the doughnuts will be heavy.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen towels. Immediately roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Keep warm in a low oven until all the donuts have been cooked.
To serve: Place in a bowl and serve with custard if desired. Makes about 20 mini donuts.
Cook’s note: I like to use a deep, 14cm wide saucepan for cooking the doughnuts. This way you don’t have to use and discard a huge volume of oil. If making ahead, place the cooked sugared doughnuts in a shallow roasting dish and reheat in a 160°C oven for a few minutes until warm.
latest issue:
Issue #114
Autumn has arrived, and with it, the latest issue of dish, jam-packed with recipes that will have you fizzing to get in the kitchen! With a long Easter lunch featuring perfectly pink, blushing roast leg of lamb and wildly decadent baked mashed potatoes with caramelised onions, to simply scrumptious chocolate treats and sensational seasonal baking this issue has you covered - we reckon the Hot Cross Buns are our best yet! Salads make way for soothing soups, pies, puddings and our cover star beef cheek ragù with spaghetti – a must-make dinner for family and friends. With over 60 recipes in our latest issue there’s plenty of inspiration to keep you busy – and well-fed! Don’t forget to share your dish dishes with our Facebook community.