Makes 18–20 Doughnuts
These little doughnuts, with their fluffy, apricot-hued interiors, are a proper treat. I love making them in the autumn when squash and pumpkin abound; they never fail to delight. Make this for friends you know well, as you will be frying them to order. But if everyone joins in, it can become the focal point of your gathering, the round balls puffing up in the oil and many hands diving in to toss them in the cinnamon sugar.
INGREDIENTS
250g (2 cups) white (all-purpose) spelt or plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
Zest of 1 orange, plus extra to serve
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 heaped tablespoons soft brown sugar
160ml (2⁄3 cup) buttermilk or plain yoghurt
250g butternut squash/pumpkin purée
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
40g butter, melted vegetable oil, for deep-frying
For dusting
130g (2⁄3 cup) caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Note: You can reuse the oil three or four times. Allow it to cool, then pour through a fine sieve before pouring it back into its bottle.
METHOD:
Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and cardamom into a large bowl. Add the orange zest and salt and, using your fingers, rub the zest into the flour mixture to release its oils. Stir in the sugar.
In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk or yoghurt with the squash or pumpkin purée, using a fork to mash it together. Now add the eggs, vanilla and melted butter and mix well. Don’t worry if the mixture looks a bit lumpy. You can prepare the two mixtures up to this stage in advance.
In a third bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon for dusting and set aside.
When you are ready to cook the doughnuts, pour the oil into a deep 20cm pan to a depth of 10–12.5cm and place over a medium heat. Heat the oil for 4–5 minutes until it reaches 175°C.
While the oil is heating, take a large spoon and lightly fold a third of the dry ingredients into the wet. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients until combined. Now scoop golf ball-sized balls of the dough into the oil using a spoon, five or six at a time, so as not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for a few minutes on each side. They will look dark and beautifully puffed up, but they need time to cook through, so reduce the heat if the oil becomes too hot and they look like they are burning.
With a slotted spoon, remove the doughnuts to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess grease, then transfer them to the cinnamon sugar for a light tossing. Repeat with the remaining dough, then scatter over finely grated orange zest and scoop onto a pretty plate, handing out to the hungry mouths that have magically appeared.
Edited recipe extract from Mexican Table
by Thomasina Miers, published by Quadrille. Available now internationally.
