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Hot Cross Bun Doughnuts stuffed with Chocolate

Hot Cross Bun Doughnuts stuffed with Chocolate

by | Mar 27, 2018 | 3 comments

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If you love Hot Cross Buns, then brace yourself because Hot Cross Bun Doughnuts are even BETTER! I’m pretty sure I was the first person to create the Hot Cross Bun Doughnut. About 4 years ago, I woke up in the middle of the night with an idea; what if you DEEP-FRIED a hot cross bun?! I often think of deep-frying things, so this was not unusual but a quick google search confirmed that this did not yet exist. YES! Do you know how rare it is to come up with something completely new?!

That’s how these hot cross bun doughnuts ended up on Food24 and on the Expresso show (see I have proof I was the first!) BUT I’ve always regretted that I never filled them with something… I also don’t know what I was thinking making them miniature. Go big or go home, right?

The recipe is pretty simple; prepare a basic bread dough using Stork Bake (‘cos the doughnuts will stay fresher for longer) and load it up with spices, raisins and candied fruit. If you’re a raisin dodger, you can simply swop the fruit out for choc chips and nuts. Proof the dough as you would when making bread, but instead of baking them… you FRY them!

I like to grease the baking paper with a little Stork Bake to stop them sticking, and here’s the trick, when you’re ready to fry the doughnuts, simply cut the paper around the dough ball and pop the entire thing (dough ball with baking paper stuck to it) into the hot oil. As the doughnut browns, the paper will fall off.

Immediately give them a quick dip in a mountain of castor sugar. They are delicious as-is but filling them with an absurd amount of chocolate hazelnut spread (or custard!) really makes them special! These are best served still-warm on the day that you’ve made them. The dough will happily keep the in the fridge overnight so feel free to make that the day before.  You could even shape them, place on a baking sheet, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, simply let them proof, pipe the crosses on and fry! Happy Easter!

Hot Cross Bun Doughnuts stuffed with Chocolate

Makes 12 large doughnuts

 

60g Stork Bake, cubed, at room temperature

420g cake flour

1 tsp salt

50ml soft brown sugar

1 tsp mixed spices

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp mixed peel (optional)

10g Instant dry yeast

1 large egg, beaten

200ml warm water

½ cup raisins

 

Crosses

¼ cup cake flour

1 tbsp melted Stork Bake

2 tbsp water

 

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Castor sugar, to dust

200g chocolate hazelnut spread, to fill

 

Rub the Stork Bake into the flour and mix in the salt, sugar, spices and mixed peel, if using. Add the yeast and mix. Beat the egg and warm water together and add to the dough. Mix to form a soft dough then knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Mix in the raisins. Divide into 12 pieces (or 24 if you’d prefer them to be a smaller bite-size) and roll into balls. Place on 2 x baking trays lined with baking paper, cover with cling wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size – the balls should feel puffy (see TIP). Mix the flour, Stork Bake and water together and place in a piping bag. Pipe crosses onto the buns. Heat a deep fryer or large pot of oil to 180C and fry the doughnuts, in batches until golden and puffed. Remove from the oil and immediately dust in castor sugar. Place the chocolate hazelnut spread in a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle. Pierce a hole in the side of the doughnut, insert the nozzle and fill each doughnut with chocolate hazelnut spread. Serve immediately.

TIP To speed up the proofing process, turn your oven into a proofer by preheating it to the lowest setting – about 50 degrees celsius and place a baking tray filled with water in the bottom of the oven. Place the buns in the oven, covered, then turn the oven off and leave them to proof in the hot and humid environment.

Doughnuts Stuffed with Milk Tart Filling

Doughnuts Stuffed with Milk Tart Filling

by | Feb 27, 2017 | 2 comments

One of life's best experiences is eating a still-hot doughnut straight from the deep-fryer. Like chilli it has that pleasure-pain thing going on that just drives me crazy! Hot doughnuts are pretty high on my list of 'things that I crave the most late at night' as my husband-to-be can attest to, afterall, it was on one of these craving days that I found out he was a keeper! It was about 10pm on a weeknight and I was tucked up in bed. I casually tossed out a 'I could kill for a warm doughnut right now' as if uttering the words out loud would somehow make the craving go away. In my doughnut-lusting state I completely missed him sneaking out the room and it was only when I heard the sound of dough being submerged in hot, bubbling oil that I realised my deep-fried carb dreams (and marriage aspirations) were about to come true! A few minutes later, he presented me with 5 perfect, piping hot, light-as-air doughnuts lightly dusted in cinnamon sugar. While I scoffed them under the duvet covers, I remember thinking that these were the best doughnuts of my life. And this was the best man of my life! While I've tried to recreate those 5 perfect doughnuts and been unsuccessful, these do come pretty darn close. Stuff them with raspberry jam or nutella if you wish, but since today is National Milk Tart Day, I thought I'd give them a custardy kick. I hope these make your deep-fried carb dreams come true just like they did mine!

Milk Tart Doughnuts

Makes 30.

 

Milk tart filling

600ml milk

2 tbsp (30ml) cornstarch (maizena)

1 tbsp (15ml) cake flour

4 tbsp (60ml) Natura Sugars Golden Caster Sugar

3 eggs, separated

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting

 

1 cup Natura Sugars Golden Caster Sugar

2 tbsp ground cinnamon

500g store-bought or homemade yeast dough, proved once (use my recipe here)

vegetable oil, for frying

 

For the filling, bring the milk to a boil (I added a cinnamon stick and bay leaf to mine). In the meantime, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla and cinnamon and a little of the milk to make a creamy paste. Pour the hot milk over the paste, whisking continuously then return to the heat and cook until thickened. Whisk the egg whites until stiff then whisk into the still-warm filling. Allow to cool then place into a piping bag. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside. To make the doughnuts, knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Roll 2 tablespoonful of dough into balls at a time and place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and set aside for 30 minutes or until risen.

Place the oil and a sugar thermometer in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat until temperature reaches 180°C. Cook the doughnuts, in batches, for 1 minute each side or until golden. Drain on absorbent paper and immediately roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Carefully pierce doughnuts with a knife and fill with the custard. Serve immediately.

 

 

Giant Doughnut Cake with Homemade Sprinkles

Giant Doughnut Cake with Homemade Sprinkles

by | Feb 22, 2017 | 1 comment

Doesn't this cake look like SO MUCH FUN?! That's because I had a ridiculously good time putting it together! What's not to love about pastel colours, cake, doughnuts, sugar and of course, sprinkles?

This cake was actually created for one of my dearest friends, Claire who is the ridiculously good looking foodie behind SA's first YouTube cooking channel 'Good Looking and Cooking'. There is no one on this earth more obsessed with doughnuts than she is (except that she calls them 'donuts') but I love her anyway! ;). I was tasked with making her a cake for probably the most epic bachelorette party in the history of bachelorette parties. Guys, there was a candy floss bar, build your own freak shakes, inflatable unicorns, Private Chef Matt Manning, rainbow bagels - it was like every dream I'd ever had came true!

So of course, I had to dream up one seriously cool cake and this one is straight out of a Candy Land fantasy! I baked an easy one-bowl butter cake in 3 savarin moulds (those silicone microwave bundt cake moulds would also work well), and then stuffed each cake with a raspberry vanilla buttercream. I piped on the royal icing to get that cartoon-looking doughnut design but you could just go ahead and drizzle it over the cakes. And of course, giant doughnuts, deserve giant sprinkles so I've also included a fun, easy way for you to make your own using leftover royal icing - simply pipe colourful strips of icing, allow to dry and break them up! Clever, right?! *throws sprinkles on self*

Giant Doughnut Sprinkles Cake

Makes 1

 

250g butter, softened

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups Natura Sugars Golden Caster Sugar

6 large eggs, at room temperature

3 cups cake flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 cup milk

 

Frosting

250g butter, softened

2 cups Natura Sugars Demerara Icing Sugar, sifted

1 tsp vanilla extract

drop of milk, if necessary

1/4 cup of good-quality raspberry jam

 

Royal Icing

1 egg white

1 cup Natura Demerara Icing Sugar

Pastel gel food colourings

Sprinkles, to decorate

 

Preheat oven to 150° C (fan-forced) Grease 3 x 20 cm savarin or bundt cake tins. Place the butter, vanilla, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and milk in the bowl of an electric mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment). Beat on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat the mixture until it is just smooth. Spoon mixture into the baking tins and bake for 1 hour 5 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in cake tin on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Turn out onto the wire rack and cool completely.

For the buttercream, whip the butter in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment until very white and fluffy. Add the icing sugar and vanilla and whip for 5 minutes until almost white and the icing sugar is completely dissolved (add a drop or two of milk if necessary). Swirl through the raspberry jam - don't mix it in completely. Place in a piping bag with a plain nozzle.

For the royal icing, whisk the egg whites and icing sugar together to form a firm icing then divide in three and tint each a different colour. Place in piping bags fitted with plain nozzles and set aside.

To assemble the cake, poke the bottom of each ring with the back of a wooden spoon and fill the holes with the raspberry buttercream. Pipe the icing onto each layer to create a dripped effect (TIP: Start with your royal icing very thick to pipe the outline, then thin it out slightly and fill in the lines). Decorate with sprinkles and allow to set completely then place the 'doughnuts' on top of each other.

 

TIP To make your own sprinkles, fill a piping bag fitted with small plain nozzle with coloured royal icing and pipe long strips of royal icing onto a piece of baking paper and allow to dry overnight or in a low oven (60 degrees). Once dry, break them up and mix the colours together. Store in an airtight jar.

Tea-Glazed Brioche Doughnut Bites

Tea-Glazed Brioche Doughnut Bites

by | Jul 21, 2016 | 0 comments

First off, Tea and doughnuts are totally a thing. They are. There will be none of this coffee-and-doughnuts-are-classic-combination around here, please. Let’s just all admit that tea is as good as coffee. Don’t get me wrong, coffee is ama-zing, but tea? Well, it just might be better.  Especially when it comes to enjoying a cuppa with a doughnut! You see, I’ve never quite known the love that oozes from a hot cuppa tea. It doesn’t ask questions, it doesn’t get your pulse racing - tea just understands, and unlike coffee, each tea has its own… lets call it, personality. Each is designed for specific moments and feelings - but perhaps that’s through memories. Every one of these deliciously-delectably-butter-filled-deep-fried-brioche-doughnut bites has been inspired by my favourite teas and the moments that inspire me to brew them.

Rooibos, is perfect for a cold, chilly day when the rain is pouring down outside. Brewed with a bit of honey and lemon, the steam floating out of the cup… Where’s my blankie?! Cue these Rooibos and Sesame Honey-Glazed Doughnuts.

Then there’s the fragrant, floral Earl Grey tea which I, so lovingly refer to as “Granny Tea”. Why? Because it basically hugs you back after the first sip. And everybody knows that Grannies give the best hugs. If any doughnut could give you a hug it would be these Beetroot Drizzle and Earl Grey Sugar-Coated Doughnuts.

Lastly but not leastly (totally a word) - chai tea. Fragrant, spicy, warm, exotic. One waft of cinnamon ad cloves and you are lost in a spice shop in India. These doughnuts are sugar, spice and all kinds of nice - and they’re good without the chai drizzle too. Because the icing is so good you may find yourself without any left for the doughnuts. But hey, I’m not judging!

Glazed Brioche Doughnut Bites

Makes 30

200ml milk

25g fresh yeast (5g instant yeast)

2 large eggs

500g cake flour

50g butter, softened

50g castor sugar

25g honey

pinch of salt

Finely grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon, optional

2 egg yolks

25ml vodka

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Place the milk and yeast in the bowl of a mixer and stir to dissolve. Add the eggs, flour, butter, sugar, honey, salt and zest. Using a dough hook, knead the dough for 8-10 minutes or until a soft, smooth dough forms. Cover with clingfilm and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Mix in the egg yolks and  vodka then cover again and allow to rise in a warm place until puffy and doubled in size.

While the dough proves, start making the toppings:

Earl Grey Sugar and Beetroot Drizzle

1/2 cooked beetroot, cut into pieces

2 tbsp (30ml) water

1/2 cup Natura Sugars Demerara Icing Sugar, sifted

1/2 Earl Grey tea bag

3 tbsp (45ml) Natura Sugars Golden Caster sugar

Blend the beetroot and water together until a liquid forms and pour it through a sieve to separate the pulp from the liquid. Mix in 2 to 3 tbsp of the beetroot liquid into the icing sugar and mix until a smooth paste forms and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix half the earl grey teabag into the sugar and set aside.

Lemon, Sesame, Rooibos Honey glaze

2 tbsp (30 ml) hot water

1 rooibos teabag

2 tbsp (30ml) good-quality honey

1/2 lemon

1 tsp (5ml) sesame seeds

Tear the tea bag open and steep in the hot water and strain. Then mix 1 tbsp of the tea with honey, a squeeze of lemon and the sesame seeds.

Chai Tea Drizzle

1 chai tea bag

2 tbsp (30ml) hot water

1/2 cup Natura Sugars Demerara Icing Sugar, sifted

Cinnamon, for dusting

Brew the teabag in the hot water and mix into the icing sugar until it forms a smooth paste.

To finish the doughnuts, preheat the oil to 160°C either in the deep-fryer or in a pot with a thermometer. Knock the air out of the dough by kneading it gently in the bowl. Lightly oil or dust your hands in flour and pull out walnut size chunks of the dough and roll into balls, drop them into the preheated oil and fry them in small batches (5 balls at a time) until golden brown. Once they’re done, place them on paper towel to drain off the oil. Coat the doughnuts with your chosen toppings and enjoy while still warm.

TIP Best enjoyed on the day they’re made - as if I need to tell you that!

Text, recipe and food styling by Cassie Upton

Homemade Glazed Brioche Doughnuts

Homemade Glazed Brioche Doughnuts

by | Mar 18, 2015 | 4 comments

Craving something yeasty, buttery and deep-fried?  Silly question. The correct answer is ALWAYS!  As if doughnuts (by the way, none of that 'donut' spelling around here, please!) needed additional oomph, these ones are made from a super-easy rich brioche dough that's packed with egg yolks, rum and butter making these babies as light as air and full of flavour!

Incase you can't tell, I had a ridiculous amount of fun making these! While kneading the dough, all I could think of was colour schemes and glitter - oooh and sprinkles! Maybe silver - no gold! Pink with the blue or no wait, how about swirly frosting! I dug up every sprinkle, pot of glitter and food colouring I could find (unrelated side note: anyone know how to remove that edible glitter off clothing?!). Besides doughnuts, you could use this dough recipe for a few different things; here in South Africa we have big puffy round doughnuts without holes called 'Vetkoek' (literally translated means 'fat cakes') which we fill with jam or savoury mince. You could make them similiarly (without the holes) and pipe jam, Nutella or buttercream inside. Dredge them in cinnamon-sugar, cover them in chocolate - oooo or dip them in caramelized white chocolate!

Glazed Brioche Doughnuts

Makes 24

 

200ml milk

50g fresh yeast (10g instant yeast)

4 large eggs

1kg cake flour

100g butter, softened

100g castor sugar

50g honey

pinch of salt

Finely grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon

4 egg yolks

50ml rum

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

 

GLAZE

275g icing sugar, sifted

Few drops lemon juice

Food colourings of your choice

1-2 tbsp hot water

Sprinkles, to decorate

Place the milk and yeast in the bowl of a mixer and stir to dissolve. Add the eggs, flour, butter, sugar, honey, salt and zest. Using a dough hook, knead the dough for 8-10 minutes or until a soft, smooth dough forms. Cover with clingfilm and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Mix in the egg yolks and rum then cover again and allow to rise in a warm place until puffy and doubled in size. Knock the air out of the dough by kneading it gently then roll out on a lightly floured surface until 1 cm thick. Using a 7cm round cutter (or drinking glass) cut out rounds from the dough, then cut out a smaller hole from the middle (I use the back of a large piping nozzle for this). Place the doughnuts on a floured baking tray and cover with greased clingfilm. Prove in a warm place until doubled in size and puffy.

 

TIP For best results I preheat my oven to about 50 degrees celcius and place a large dish of boiling water in the bottom of the oven then I place my covered tray of doughnuts in the warm humid oven to prove.

Preheat the oil to 180 degrees celscius (or when a cube of bread dropped into the oil turns brown in 10 seconds) and place the doughnuts upside down in the hot oil. Fry on one side for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown, then flip over and cook the other side. Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen towel. Allow to cool.

 

 

TIP At this stage you can dredge them in cinnamon-sugar - while they're still hot! Make the glaze by mixing the icing sugar with the lemon juice, colouring and enough hot water to form a paste that runs slightly.

Dip the tops of the doughnuts in the glaze, allowing most of the glaze to run off before placing on a wire rack. Decorate with sprinkles and allow to set. Enjoy on the same day (why am I even telling you that, they'll be gone in one day!)
The Best South African Koeksister Recipe

The Best South African Koeksister Recipe

by | Aug 20, 2013 | 92 comments

It was only about 3 hours into the drive along Route 62 when I realised what I was actually doing; I was travelling 400km into the middle of the Klein Karoo (aka nowhere) in search of 'The Perfect Koeksister Recipe'. Those that know me, expect nothing less, but still, it was quite crazy. Even for me.

To catch you up to speed, a koeksister is a plaited, deep-fried doughnut drenched in a seriously sticky syrup. It's a treat as South African as milk tart, biltong and beer. Like American's and their doughnuts? Koeksisters are a big deal here - we take them as seriously as our rugby! We even have a monument dedicated to the treat! My search for sweetness led me all the way to the little town of Ladismith where rumour has it, I'd find the best. Although tuisnywerheid's (little shops selling home-baked treats) have all but died out in the big cities, in a small town like Ladismith it is still the place to go for the best cakes, rusks and jams (and  also the latest skinner/gossip!)

Only the finest bakers get their goodies displayed on the shelves here. It was while scanning the fully-laden racks that I met Lallie Botha who tells me she was Ladismith's first koeksister queen back in 1972 when she founded the tuisnywerheid. Back then, she would go through an 85L drum of oil each month! I was convinced I was in the right place - the people of Ladismith definitely love their koeksisters! After giving me some tips on what to look out for in the perfect koeksister, Lallie dished the dirt on who makes the best and sent me on my way (with 5 bottles of homemade jam). While walking through the town of Ladismith, I couldn't resist stopping a few locals to ask about their favourite koeksisters. But it seemed the town was completely divided on who makes the best and I sensed a little competition between two particular bakers. It was definitely time for me to meet the koeksister contenders!

My first visit was to the home of Euradia Muller, who greeted me, voorskoot (apron) and all, before hurrying back into the kitchen while fretting that her koeksisters were now sitting in the syrup too long! Over a cup of milky rooibos tea brewed in a green teapot on the stove, Euradia caught her breath long enough to tell me that there are no secrets when it comes to making koeksisters! I could barely hide my disappointment. Had I come all this way for nothing?

Euradia wakes up at the crack of dawn to make the dough before the heat of the Klein Karoo sets in. She uses an heirloom ruler to measure her koeksisters - a lady after my own OCD heart! Her 'sisters are cut into rectangles which are then halved and twisted before being deep-fried and plunged into ice cold syrup. She tells me that it is very important that the syrup is very cold. Finally! I had something to go on! My excitement was short-lived though as she then explained that the recipe was passed down to her by her mother who refused to give it to anyone. The recipe used to be kept under lock and key but is now engraved in her mind and she cooks it off by heart. My koeksister trek (mission) seemed more and more doomed. On leaving I was handed a neatly wrapped tray laden with freshly baked koeksisters and the instructions to store them in the fridge as soon as possible. But, as far as a recipe was concerned, I left empty-handed!

My disappointment was immediately forgotten though when I felt the warm Karoo hospitality the minute I was welcomed through the backdoor of Cynthia du Plessis' farm kitchen. After I was shown photos of her 4 grandchildren, and told the long story of how her and her husband Willem moved from Pretoria to stay in Ladismith, I finally managed to sway the conversation back to her koeksisters. On hearing whose kitchen I'd just come from, Cynthia tells me she used to be a fan of Euradia's but now bakes her own (I didn't press the clearly sensitive matter!) But the big question was, would she share her secret recipe with an English girl from the big city?

I was in luck! Cynthia welcomed my enthusiasm with open arms and proceeded to run me through all her baking secrets like I was her granddaughter! I learnt to knead dough with my fists like a real Afrikaans tannie and mastered the trick to twisting the koeksisters just the right way so they don't unravel while frying. And when it came to the syrup, I thought I was terribly clever when I eagerly offered my new-found knowledge from Euradia to use ice cold syrup, only to be told that it was actually the wrong way to make koeksisters! Ai. It seemed the only thing the two ladies did agree on, was that koeksisters need to be stored in the fridge to stay crisp. At least there was that!

As we finished deep-frying the twists, I stole a taste of Cynthia's koeksisters. As to who's were the best? I was undecided as they were equally delicious! But thankfully, this time, I left the kitchen (via the backdoor) with my mind filled with years of wisdom, a scribbled recipe in one hand, a packet full of fresh koeksisters in the other and two newly-adopted ouma's who insist I come back to visit soon.

Cynthia’s Koeksisters

Recipe by Cynthia du Plessis

Note: While 165ml baking powder is a lot, Cynthia assured me it's to keep the koeksisters crunchy in the syrup. Who am I to question the koeksister queen?! This recipe makes a large amount of koeksisters, so it's safest to halve this recipe.

Makes 4 dozen

 

1250g cake flour

½ tbsp salt

165ml baking powder

1 ¼ cups milk

1 ½ cups water

5 large eggs

62g butter or margarine, softened

oil, for deep-frying

 

Syrup

12 cups sugar

6 cups water

2/3 cups lemon juice

1 ½ tbsp cream of tartar

1 tsp caramel essence (optional)

 

Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl. Whisk the milk, water and eggs together and add to the dry ingredients. Mix to form a soft dough then knead thoroughly for 10 minutes, adding a little butter or margarine in every now and then.

Cover the dough with clingwrap and place in the fridge overnight. Make the syrup by combining the sugar, water, juice, cream of tartar and caramel essence in a large pot and stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Boil the syrup for 10 minutes then allow to cool to room temperature. Break off a fist-sized chunk of the dough and roll out into a long sausage on a lightly oil-greased surface, then using a rolling pin, roll out to about 10cm wide. Cut into 1cm strips.

Take each strip then roll into a sausage, twist the ends around each other to form a koeksister shape and pinch the ends closed. Heat the oil to 180C then deep-fry the koeksisters, a few at a time, turning often to brown on all sides, until golden and cooked through.

Drain from the oil and immediately plunge into the room-temperature syrup, making sure to keep the koeksisters submerged so they soak up the syrup.  Drain the koeksisters from the syrup and allow to cool. To keep your koeksisters crispy, store them in the freezer. Remove them from the freezer 15 minutes before you want to serve them. Enjoy with a lekker koppie rooibos tee!

WATCH MY ADVENTURE HERE AND SEE HOW CYNTHIA MAKES HER KOEKSISTERS:

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