Cream-Filled Donuts with Fruit Compote | Recipe

Buying school lunches in the 80s was a real treat. Mum would ring up in the morning and order a pie, donut and a drink. We’d rock on up to the school assembly hall at lunchtime and wait for our names to be read out, clutch our brown paper bags and hope like anything that we didn’t have to share. A cream donut back then only came with mock cream and a spoonful of jam, but it was enough to make me love them for life. This recipe requires a bit of kneading (or you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook). I find the process of kneading soothing: seeing and feeling a lump of dough become silky, smooth and billowy is magic. 

You can experiment with fillings; I have listed some of my favourites below.

Ingredients

• 1 sachet (8g) instant yeast, or 2 tbsp active yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm milk
• 4 cups flour (preferably high grade), 
• plus extra 1/4 cup for kneading
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 50g butter, melted
• 1 egg, whisked
• canola or other neutral oil for frying (about 3 cups)
• 1/2 cup white sugar or icing sugar for dusting
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (if using white sugar for dusting)
• fresh whipped cream, to serve

For the ‘any fruit’ compote

• 125g (1 cup) fresh or frozen berries, 
• or other chopped up fruit of choice
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3/4 cup water (more or less, depending on juiciness of fruit)
• 2 tbsp caster sugar or honey 
• (depending on sweetness of fruit; optional)
• 1 tsp cornflour mixed in 1/4 cup cold water, 
• if compote needs thickening

Makes 16 large or 30 mini donuts

Method

If using active yeast, combine with warm milk in a medium bowl, cover and leave for 5–10 minutes, until slightly bubbly. If using instant yeast, combine with the warm milk and continue with the rest of the method straight away — there’s no need to wait.

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer, if using), add the sugar and mix to combine. Pour in the milk and yeast mixture, melted butter and whisked egg, and combine with the flour mixture to form a soft, pliable dough.

If using a stand mixer, mix on low speed using the dough-hook attachment until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes. Slightly increase the speed and knead for another 10 minutes, adding a tablespoon of flour every so often if the dough is too wet and sticky. Don’t add too much flour; the dough should be silky and a little bit tacky. If kneading by hand, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured bench and knead continuously for 10 minutes, adding a tablespoon of flour every so often if the dough is too wet or sticky.

Place dough back into the mixing bowl, cover with cling film, a large plate or a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place to prove for 1–2 hours. The time needed will depend on the yeast used and the temperature of the room. The dough should at least double in size. While waiting for the dough to rise (first rise, or second rise) you can make the fruit compote.

Combine berries and/or chopped fruit, lemon juice, water and sugar or honey (if using) in a small saucepan over medium heat, and stir frequently until thickened and syrupy (5–10 minutes depending on the fruit). Add the cornflour and water mixture if you feel the compote needs more thickening, and stir over a medium heat until combined and translucent. Pour into a bowl and put into the fridge to cool.

When the dough has risen, punch it down, and turn out onto a lightly floured bench. Flatten the dough with your hands, break into small pieces and roll into balls, about 4cm in diameter, orsmaller for mini donuts. Press large ones down to flatten and place onto a tray lined with baking paper, or leave mini donuts as small balls, ensuring there is space between each, as they will rise again. Cover with cling film or baking paper, and leave to rise for a further 30 minutes.

Just before the dough is ready, heat the oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat to 180˚C. You don’t want the oil too hot, otherwise the donuts will brown before they are cooked inside. If you don’t have a cooking thermometer to test when the oil is ready, dip the handle of a wooden spoon or a chopstick into the oil. If the oil starts steadily bubbling, then the oil is hot enough for frying. If the oil bubbles very vigorously, then it is too hot and you’ll need to turn the heat down. If no or very few bubbles pop up, then it’s not hot enough.

Fry the donuts, 4 or 5 at a time, allowing each donut to become golden before turning over to cook the other side, about 2 minutes per side. Mini donuts won’t require as much cooking, so just cook until golden all over.

Transfer cooked donuts to a tray or wire rack to cool.

In a small bowl, mix together the second portion of sugar and cinnamon, and when the donuts are cool, sprinkle the mixture over the donuts and roll to coat.

Slice the donuts through the middle, spoon the fruit compote over the base, top with fresh whipped cream, and place the top of the donut back on. Enjoy these ultimate cream-filled donuts immediately or fill with alternative fillings.

Crème Brûlée

Cut a circle out of the top of the donut and scoop out a little bit of the dough to create a well. Spoon some cold custard into the well, and generously sprinkle white sugar over the custard. Use a blowtorch to caramelise the sugar and form a brittle crust.

Banoffee

Fill donuts with sliced banana, caramel sauce  or dulce de leche (milk caramel) and whipped cream.

Chocolate raspberry/blueberry/mandarin/any freeze-dried fruit

Melt white or dark chocolate chunks in a microwave-safe bowl in 10-second bursts, stirring between each time, until smooth. Or melt in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Dip the top of each donut in the chocolate and place on a rack. Sprinkle over freeze-dried berries/fruit. Fill with fresh whipped cream, if desired, either by slicing the donuts through the middle, or by making a hole in the side of the donut with a chopstick, and using a piping bag to fill with cream.

Apple Crumble

Fill donuts with stewed apple and whipped cream. Top with a cinnamon glaze (mix together 1/2 cup icing sugar,  1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon milk) and crumble topping  (rub together 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons cold butter).

Lemon or Passionfruit Delicious

Fill donuts with lemon or passionfruit curd and whipped cream. Top with a lemon glaze (mix together 1/2 cup icing sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice).