APRICOT JAM DOUGHNUTS

Serves: Makes 20

Preparation Time: 3 hours

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Light, fluffy, apricot filled, caster sugar-coated jam-filled doughnuts

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Ingredients

For the dough

• 500g cake flour

• 50g caster sugar

• 2 x 10g sachets of instant yeast

• 7g fine salt

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 150mL milk, warmed

• 130mL water

• 40g butter, at room temperature

For the coating

• 100g caster sugar

For the filling

• 100g smooth apricot jam

Method

For the dough

1. In the stand mixer bowl, fitted with a dough hook attachment, add in the cake flour. Without allowing the following ingredients to touch one another, add the caster sugar, instant yeast and fine salt.

2. In a jug, mix the water, milk and beaten eggs.

3. While the mixer is on low, slowly stream in the liquid, monitoring the amount of liquid necessary may differ depending on the day and its conditions. The dough needs to come together, not be too wet but have a slight stickiness. Increase the speed of the mixer to medium; the dough must be soft and pliable and stick to the base of the mixing bowl as it kneads. Knead for 4 minutes.

4. While the mixer is on, add tablespoon increments of the butter. Allow each addition to incorporate into the dough before adding the next.

5. Knead for 6 minutes.

6. Place the dough into a bowl greased with cooking spray, clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and leave to rise for an hour, or until double in size.

7. Knock down the dough and, on a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 20 equal portions and shape each portion into a ball.

8. Place each doughnut on a square 8x8cm sheet of baking paper, place on two to three trays and allow to rise for an hour.

Frying the doughnuts

1. Fill a large pot with 4cm of oil. Heat oil to 160°C

2. Lower each baking paper sheet carrying the doughnut into the pot. Remove the baking paper, which slips away from the doughnut. Fry each side of the doughnut for approximately 4 minutes until it reaches a golden brown colour. Drain each doughnut, roll immediately in caster sugar, and leave on a wire rack to cool completely.

Filling the doughnut

1. Once cool, make a small incision with a sharp knife on the side of the doughnut.

2. Fill a piping bag fitted with a jam nozzle with the apricot jam, and pipe the jam into each doughnut until the jam reaches just outside the doughnut.