Old English Doughnuts with Cinnamon Sugar

When I can’t think of what to make for tea or dessert, this is my go to recipe – because there’s nothing more comforting than a warm, fluffy cinnamon sugar doughnut. You can tell my the spattered, stuck-together pages of this recipe that I’ve made it many, many times – it’s a no fail crowd pleaser.

You can fill them with jam or top them with chocolate, but I like the classics, so a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar is all I need.

Doughnuts with cinnamon sugar
serves 4
adapted from Gary Mehigan’s mini book, Comfort Food 

50g butter, roughly chopped
200ml milk
30g sugar
7g instant dried yeast
2 eggs
300g plain flour
pinch of salt

oil for deep frying

150g caster sugar
¾ tsp ground cinnamon

1. Gently heat milk and butter in a small saucepan until just warmed through – too hot and you’ll kill the yeast.
2. Pour into a bowl, then add sugar and yeast and stir until dissolved. Whisk the eggs into the warm milk mixture.
3. Put the flour and salt into a large bowl, and make a well in the centre. Pour the egg/milk mixture in, and with a whisk, start mixing from the centre, drawing in the flour a bit at a time until a smooth batter forms.
4. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and put in a warm spot to rise – about 30 minutes to an hour. If it’s the middle of Canberran winter and you can’t find a toasty spot, turn on the oven to 150C for a minute, then turn off and place the bowl inside.
5. Make the cinnamon sugar by mixing the cinnamon and caster sugar in a zip lock bag, and shaking to combine.
6. When you are ready to eat, heat your oil to around 180C – stick the end of a wooden spoon into the oil, and you’ll see bubbles coming from the wood.
7. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle. Pipe tablespoon sized amounts of batter into the hot oil and cook until they are golden, making sure to turn them as needed.
8. Lift the doughnuts out with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel for just 30 seconds – this is to make sure they’re not too hot and burn though the zip lock bag. Pop the warm donuts into the bag with the cinnamon sugar and shake to coat. Serve immediately while still warm.