Doughnuts with Spiced Fillings

Doughnuts

• 1 tbsp yeast
• 4 tbsp caster sugar
• 150ml milk, warmed
• 225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• ¼ tsp salt
• 50g ghee / butter, melted
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• 300ml vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Vanilla Sugar

• 250-300g granulated sugar
• 1 vanilla pod, scraped
• two pinches salt

Fillings

Cardamom and vanilla custard

• 250ml full-cream milk
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• 5 cardamoms, seeds removed and crushed
• 3 egg yolks
• 65g caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp extra
• 40g plain flour
• 100ml double cream

Cinnamon and Chocolate Cream

• 4 large egg yolks
• 55g granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn flour
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• pinch of salt
• 235ml whole milk
• 85g dark chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Raspberry & Ginger Jam 

• 350g frozen raspberries
• 115g granulated sugar
• 20 g fresh ginger
• ½ lemon

Method

Making the Doughnuts

1. Mix the yeast with half a teaspoon of the sugar and two tablespoons of the warm milk. Place in a warm place to rest for 15 minutes, or until frothy.
2. Into the bowl of your stand mixer sift the flour, salt and one tablespoon of the sugar. Pour in the yeast mix, the melted butter and the egg.
3. Start the mixer on low and pour in the milk until it has all combined and you are left with a dough. You make not need all the milk.
4. Cover the bowl and leave to stand for I hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
5. On a floured work surface, knead the dough.
6. Roll out so it's about 1 inch thick then with a cutter cut out as may circles as you can get.
7. Place these on some floured parchment paoer cover with a clean tea towl and leave to rise for 30 minutes.
8. Heat the oil in a deep pan until it reaches 170-180°C (ensure it returns to this temperature inbetween cooking).
9. Gently lower the circles one at a time into the hot oil, in batches of two and fry for 3-5 minutes or until golden-brown, and then carefully turn over. Remove from the hot oil with a slotted spoon and place in the bowl with your vanilla sugar. Sprinkle it all over.
10. Make a small slit in the doughnut with the chopstick and fill with the filling of your choice either with a syringe or piping bag.

Vanilla Sugar

1. Mix together all the ingredients and set to one side.

Fillings

Cardamom & Vanilla Custard

1. Place the vanilla, cardamom, egg yolks and 65g caster sugar in a bowl and mix for a few seconds, then sift in the flour and mix again.
2. In a saucepan, slowly bring the milk just to the boil over a gentle heat. Pour the hot milk over the yolk mixture, whisking continuously so it doesn’t curdle and return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook gently over a medium heat, whisking constantly for about 2-3 minutes, until very thick. Sieve the custard into a bowl. Cover the surface of the custard with cling film to prevent a skin forming. Leave to cool, then refrigerate. Whip the cream and the 2 tbsp sugar together until thick then fold into the chilled custard.

Cinnamon & Chocolate Cream

1. In a medium saute pan, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, corn flour, cocoa powder, and salt. The mixture will be thick.
2. Slowly whisk in the milk. Place pan over medium low heat and slowly heat. Stir near constantly so that the milk does not burn and the eggs do not cook.
3. When mixture just comes to a boil it will quickly begin to thicken. Remove from heat and continue whisking until thick and smooth.
4. Add chocolate, butter, and vanilla extract and stir until all melted and well incorporated.
5. Transfer hot pastry cream to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap so the plastic wrap touches the surface of the cream. Chill for about 2 hours.

Raspberry & Ginger Jam

1. Mix the raspberries and sugar in a big pan with the grated the ginger and squeeze in the lemon juice in and mix.
2. Let the jam boil on a medium heat, stir and reduce the heat to a minimum. Cook the jam for about 30mins-1 hour the leave it too cool - makes approx. 175ml