Soft Filled Doughnuts

This recipe yields roughly 10-12 doughnuts. This is definitely my staple recipe to go for and yields perfect results every time. 

I personally have a fryer which I set to 165⁰c. However a saucepan filled mid way with oil works a treat. Be sure to pick an oil with a high heat resistance, such as veg, sunflower or rapeseed. 

If you would like a blog post of some filling ideas be sure to let me know! Some filling Ideas are - 

Raspberry Custard: Layer raspberry jam and vanilla pastry cream for a fresh and creamy combo.
Salted Caramel Cream: Whip double cream and fold through salted caramel for a rich filling.
Chocolate Hazelnut: Pipe in Nutella or ganache for an indulgent twist

These doughnuts are best enjoyed fresh on the day, but they’ll keep in an airtight container for a day or so.

Ingredients

Dough:

500g strong white bread flour

60g caster sugar

10g instant yeast

1 tsp fine salt

250ml whole milk, lukewarm

1 large egg

60g softened unsalted butter 

Extras:

Neutral oil for frying 

Extra caster sugar for dusting

Your choice of filling 

How to do 

1. Make the Dough

1. In a small bowl or jug or saucepan, warm the milk until just lukewarm.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt (keep the salt and yeast on opposite sides to start).

3. Add the warm milk and egg to the dry ingredients and mix into a rough dough.

4. Knead in the softened butter, a little at a time, until smooth and elastic — this takes about 8–10 minutes. The dough should be slightly sticky but manageable.

5. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 1.5–2 hours, or until doubled.

2. Shape and Second Rise

1. Knock the dough back and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.

2. Divide into 10–12 even pieces and roll into smooth balls. Make sure you seal the seams tightly or they will bloom open when frying. 

3. Place spaced apart on a lightly floured tray or sheet. Cover with a tea towel and let rise again for 45–60 minutes, until puffy.

3. Fry

1. Heat oil in a deep pan to 165–170°C (use a thermometer if possible).

2. Fry 2–3 doughnuts at a time, about 2–3 minutes per side, until deep golden brown.

3. Drain on kitchen paper, then roll in caster sugar while still warm.

4. Fill

1. Once cool enough to handle, use a skewer or knife to make a pocket in the side of each doughnut. I use a straw for this step.

2. Spoon your chosen filling into a piping bag with a round nozzle and pipe generously into each one.

For these particular ones I made, I combined raspberry jam and custard, topped with a blackberry and rolled in an icing sugar glaze. But honestly, do as you please! Think of the toppings and sugar as more of "guidelines".