Hot Cross Bun Doughnuts stuffed with Chocolate
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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.
