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Pastry Chef Catherine Adonis shared this Saxon Custard Doughnuts Recipe – as recently seen in Johannesburg In Your Pocket. This recipe has always been a standard on our breakfast buffet and a favourite amongst our guests.

Custard Doughnuts

Ingredients:

For the Custard:
250ml milk
70g sugar
3 egg yolks
20g corn flour
5 ml vanilla
20g butter

For the Dough:
320g cake flour
1 tsp salt
1Tbs sugar
2 tsp yeast
215ml milk at room temperature
100g soft butter
Oil for deep frying
Castor sugar for coating

Method:

For the Custard:
(Can be made in advance and refrigerated)

  1. In a small pot, bring milk to the boil.
  2. In a mixing bowl, mix yolks, sugar, cornflour and vanilla to a smooth paste with a whisk.
  3. Slowly pour the hot milk over the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
  4. Return the mixture to stove on a medium heat, cook for 3-4 minutes until the mixture boils while stirring constantly.
  5. Once the mixture has boiled, pour into a bowl and stir in the butter. Cover with plastic and refrigerate.

For the Dough:

  1. In a stand mixer combine flour, sugar, salt, yeast and milk.
  2. Mix with a dough hook until a dough forms, then add the butter.
  3. Mix for about 10 minutes. The dough should be soft and smooth and come away from the sides of the bowl.
  4. Place dough in a covered bowl and allow to rise for 1 hour.
  5. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to 1cm thick cut out 5 cm circles with a cookie cutter.
  6. Allow the doughnuts to rise for 30 mins. They should have doubled in thickness.
  7. Slowly heat up your oil to a medium heat (150˚C if you have a thermometer).
  8. Fry the doughnuts a few at a time for 4 mins until golden brown.
  9. Take them out of the oil and place straight on to paper towel and immediately coat them in castor sugar while hot.
  10. Once cool make a small hole on the top centre of the doughnut with a small knife.
  11. Remove the custard from the fridge and whisk until smooth and place in a piping bag.
  12. Fill the hole in the doughnut with custard.
  13. Dust with icing sugar. Best enjoyed immediately.

Notes:
• This recipe makes 14 doughnuts.
• The custard can be made the day before and stored in the fridge, it will keep for up to 4 days
• Alternative fillings: caramel, jam, whipped cream.
• This was a standard on our breakfast buffet and a favourite amongst our guests.

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