Makes 12
Preparation time 30 minutes plus 30 minutes proving time for dough
Cooking time 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 quantity Brioche Dough (see recipe and method below)
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Diplomat Crème (see recipe and method below)
165 g (5¾ oz/½ cup) Raspberry Jam (see recipe and method below)
sifted icing (confectioners’) sugar, to coat
METHOD
1 Lightly grease a baking tray. Empty the brioche dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 12 portions, and roll each portion into a taut bun.
2 Place on the prepared tray, leaving plenty of room between them so they don’t stick together while proving. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to prove, approximately 30 minutes until the dough has almost doubled in size.
3 In a deep-fryer or a medium saucepan, heat 5 cm (2 inches) of vegetable oil to 160°C (315°F), using a thermometer. When using hot oil, be extremely careful – do not leave unattended!
4 Gently remove the buns from the tray, taking care not to deflate the dough. Do not overcrowd the deep-fryer – fry only 3 or 4 at a time for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove the donuts from the deep-fryer and drain well on paper towel. Set aside and allow to cool completely before filling.
5 Fill a piping (icing) bag fitted with a wide 1.5 cm (1⁄8 inch), plain nozzle with the diplomat crème. Roll each donut in icing sugar. With a small serrated knife make a cut halfway through the donut. Fill with a dollop of jam, and generously pipe diplomat crème into each donut. Dust with extra icing sugar. Best eaten within 3–4 hours.
Brioche Dough
Makes 12
Preparation time 30 minutes plus 40 minutes first proving time for dough and 30 minutes second proving
Cooking time: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) full-cream (whole) milk
10 g (¼ oz/2 teaspoons) dried yeast
75 g (2¾ oz/1⁄3 cup) caster (superfine) sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
485 g (1 lb 1 oz/3¼ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 teaspoon salt
75 g (2 ¾ oz) butter, cut into small pieces, softened
METHOD
1 Warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until it is lukewarm, then stir in the yeast, sugar and eggs.
2 Put the flour and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the wet mixture to the flour and mix until a loose dough has formed. Increase the speed to medium–high and mix for 5 minutes. Add the softened butter and mix until it is incorporated and the dough becomes smooth and elastic, approximately 5 minutes.
3 Place the dough in a large greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place until it has doubled in volume, approximately 40 minutes. Your dough is now ready to use.
4 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). line a 12-hole standard 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) muffin tin with paper cases.
5 Empty the dough from the bowl into a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle, approximately 25×48 cm (10×19 inches), and around 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick. At this point, you can make the chocolate or cinnamon sugar variation.
Diplomate crème
Diplomat crème is a lighter version of pastry crème. Basically, it is pastry crème with added plain, whipped cream mixed through.
Makes 950 ml (33½ fl oz)
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time nil
INGREDIENTS
650 ml (22½ fl oz) chilled Vanilla or Chocolate Pastry Crème (see page 222)
300 ml (10 ½ fl oz) thin (pouring) cream, whipped
METHOD
1 Loosen the chilled pastry crème by whisking in a bowl until smooth.
2 Gently fold the whipped cream through the pastry crème.
3 Cover with plastic wrap directly on the diplomat crème to prevent a skin forming on the surface.
Note Store in an airtight container. Keeps for 3–4 days refrigerated.
Raspberry Jam
Makes about 1.25 kg (2 lb 12 oz/4 cups)
Preparation time 30 minutes plus 10 minutes standing time
Cooking time 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 vanilla bean
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz/8 cups) raspberries, fresh or frozen
495 g (1 lb 1½ oz/2¼ cups) caster (superfine) sugar
juice of 1 lemon
METHOD
1 Split the vanilla bean in half lengthways, then scrape the seeds from the halves using the tip of a sharp knife.
2 In a heavy-based saucepan, put the raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla bean and seeds, and 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) water. Stir constantly over low heat until the sugar is dissolved, approximately 5 minutes.
3 Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for approximately 20–25 minutes until the mixture will jell when tested on a cold saucer (see page 225).
4 Discard the vanilla bean. Stand the jam for 10 minutes to settle before pouring into hot sterilised jars (see page 225).
Note Store in a cool, dark place for up to 12 months. Once opened, keep in the fridge and use within 1 month.
Tips
1 Jelling test Drop a teaspoon of mixture onto a saucer that has been chilled in the freezer. Return to the freezer for a few minutes. If jelled it will have formed a skin that wrinkles when pushed with a finger.
2 To steralise jars Clean jars with hot soapy water, rinse well, then drain and place on a baking tray and put into a 120°C (250°F) oven for 20 minutes until they are fully dried
Recipes and Images from The Cook & Baker by Cherie Bevan and Tass Tauroa, published by Murdoch Books
