When I was in university there was this greasy old van on the high street that cooked the most incredible doughnuts. They were classic ones covered in sugar and a smidge of cinnamon. Tucking into a pack of those hot doughnuts and licking the sugar off your fingers was a guaranteed way to banish the blues!
I felt like replicating that hot, doughy goodness by having a go myself! There’s quite a lot of processes involved but the end product is 100% worth it.
Ring Doughnuts
- Makes 8-10
- 250g ’00’ flour
- 25g caster sugar
- 20g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 7g yeast sachet
- 75ml warm milk
- 1 bottle of sunflower oil for frying
Place all the ingredients in a bowl (except the sunflower oil) along with 3 tablespoons of water. Stir until it combines into a dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until you have a smooth and elastic ball.
Leave to rise for 40 minutes (warm place covered with a damp cloth) then roll out to about 7-10mm thick. To cut the doughnut shapes you can use cutters 8cm & 2cm diameter… or like me you can improvise with a pint & shot glass!
Leave your rings (and doughnut holes!) to rise for about 30 minutes, covered with cling film. Now comes the fun part, frying the doughnuts! In a sturdy pot add your oil and heat. It needs to be around 180c, if you don’t have a sugar thermometer you can use a meat thermometer like me to get an idea, or look for a shimmering surface on the oil. Using a doughnut hole as a test subject is a good method as well.
* Please be careful! Hot oil is super dangerous, do not leave it unattended and beware of splashes! *
In they go! Look at them puff up!
When they oil is up to heat they take about 30 seconds on each side.
Once a deep golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon and leave to cool on a rack with some kitchen towel to soak up excess oil.
Dunk in a plate covered with caster sugar and 1tsp cinnamon whilst still warm.
And of course, tuck in whilst still warm!
Is anyone else trying to lick the screen?
