Caramel Doughnuts

 

First bake of 2016! Starting the year with a bake I’ve never attempted before. Doughnuts. Sure I’ve made churros but the only similarity is deep fat frying… These bread doughnuts filled with a delicious caramel cream are quite time consuming to make (like most things involving yeast :O ) but totally worth it!!!

Ingredients

Doughnut dough

• 280g strong white bread flour
• pinch of salt
• 25g caster sugar
• 7g yeast sachet
• 70ml warm milk
• 3 medium eggs
• 125g unsalted butter
• oil for frying
• extra caster sugar for rolling doughnuts in 🙂

Caramel Cream

• 110g caster sugar
• 40ml water
• large pinch of salt
• 250ml milk
• 3 egg yolks
• 35g soft dark brown sugar
• 20g cornflour
• 20g unsalted butter
• 300ml double cream

The night before!

Blend the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl (with a mixer that has a dough hook!) Then add the instant yeast. Turn the mixer on low, slowly pour the warm milk in, making sure it’s not too hot or the yeast may fail.

Now add the eggs.

I don’t have a dough hook mixer so I used a metal spoon (it really hurts your hand tho so be careful).

Mix on medium speed for 5 minuets

One by one add the soft butter, waiting for each one to be mixed in. Then knead for a further 5 minuets. The dough should be smooth and elastic. Place dough in a large greased bowl, cover with cling film and leave in the fridge overnight.

Don’t worry if it appears to be wet, that should sort it self out in the proofing.

Still the night before (caramel)

Bring the caster sugar and water to the boil in a small pan over a high heat.

Meanwhile warm the milk in another pan. Keep watching the sugar as it boils, stir it now and again, it should become a caramel colour.

When the milk is nearly boiling pour some into the caramel. It will bubble and steam a lot at first, keep stirring, it will die down. Now add the rest of the milk. Stir over a low heat until all of the caramel has mixed.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks, dark brown sugar and cornflour. Add some hot caramel milk, and whisk again.

Stir everything into the pan. Place it back on medium heat to cook the cornflour. Slowly whisk as it thickens. When thick whisk quickly on the heat for 2-3 minuets. Take off the heat and whisk in the butter.

Place in a bowl, cover with cling film and leave in the fridge over night.

Lick the whisk… or not.

The following day!!!

Take the dough out, line two baking trays with grease-proof paper.

On a floured surface roll the dough out to around 1/2 cm thick.

Using a floured cutter, cut out doughnuts (cutter should be around 2-3 inches)

re-roll leftover dough till all is used.

Place on the baking trays, cover with a cloth and leave to prove for 1 – 1.5 hours. Till doubled in size-ish

When the dough is ready prepare a shallow bowl of sugar for coating.

Lay out some kitchen roll to absorb the fat.

Heat up a pan of fat/oil to 180*C . If you have no thermometer (like me) take a small piece of bread and drop it in, if it browns nicely it’s ready! 😀

Carefully place the doughnuts in 2-3 at a time. Give them a minuet or two on each side.

When ready lift them out with a slotted spoon onto the kitchen roll.

Then roll in caster sugar and set to one side to cool.

Repeat with all of the doughnuts!!!

Literally the most fun part!

Wile they’re cooling, whisk the cream to a soft peak.

Get the caramel out of the fridge and mix with a spatula till soft.

Add a spoon full of cream, mix again.

Now fold the caramel into the cream, gently.

Using a skewer, make a little hole in each doughnut, and twist around to make a hollow centre.

Gently or this will happen… :O

Take a piping bag and fill each doughnut with cream. It should become heavier as you pipe.

and

TA DA! HEY PRESTO! BOB’S YOUR UNCLE!

Beautiful, delicious doughnuts to share (or eat to yourself but I wouldn’t recommend it – digestion wise!)

xox Much love Holly xox

Recipe via addmorebutter.com