Donuts

We enjoyed these donuts after lunch today.  They do take some time as you need to allow the dough to prove twice but they are worth it.  I've been wanting to make these for a long time and so decided today was the day.

Ingredients

4 cups (600g) plain flour

2 teas bread improver (optional)

2 teas salt

2 tab sugar

2 tab yeast

300ml warm milk

100g butter

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Sunflower oil or Canola oil for deep frying

¾ cup caster sugar mixed with ¼ teas cinnamon powder for coating the donuts

Method

1.                  In a large bowl mix together flour, bread improver, salt, sugar and yeast.

2.                  In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and then add milk and stir until heated through and warm.

3.                  Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the eggs, then add the milk and butter mixture.

4.                  Stir with a wooden spoon until it comes together and then tip dough onto a lightly floured bench and knead until smooth, for a couple of minutes.

5.                  Place the dough back into the bowl and allow to rest in a warm place for about 1 hour or until double in size.

6.                  Remove the dough from the bowl and knead for a couple more minutes.

7.                  Roll out to a flat disc of about 2cm and using a round cutter, cut out balls of dough.

8.                  Place the balls onto a Teflon or baking paper lined tray and allow to rest in a warm place until the balls have puffed up, about ½ hour.

9.                  Place the sugar and cinnamon in a large brown paper bag.

10.              Heat the sunflower oil in a medium saucepan until it reaches 180oC (using a cooking thermometer).

11.              Place the puffed balls in the oil, around 4 at a time, do not crowd the saucepan.  Turn when brown on each side and remove onto a plate lined with a paper towel.

12.              Place the warm donut in the sugar in the paper bag and shake the bag to coat the donut.

13.              Pipe jam or custard into the side of each donut.

14.              These are now ready to eat !