← Nouns Cooking · Bakery

Ingredients

• 375 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 50 g caster sugar
• 7 g fast-action dried yeast (1 sachet)
• ½ tsp Salt
• 175 ml whole milk, lukewarm
• 1 large egg
• 3 egg yolks
• 60 g unsalted butter, very soft
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp vodka or rum (traditional; it limits oil absorption) (optional)
• 1.5 l sunflower or vegetable oil, for frying
• 250 g rosehip, plum or raspberry jam
• 50 g icing sugar, to dust

Method

1. Mix the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add the warm milk, egg, yolks, vanilla and spirit (if using) and knead for 8–10 min until smooth and silky. Knead in the soft butter a little at a time until the dough is glossy and comes away from the bowl. Cover and leave somewhere warm for 1 hour until doubled.
2. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to 1.5 cm thick and cut into 7 cm rounds (or divide into 14 balls). Set on floured baking paper, cover loosely and leave to rise for 30–40 min until very puffy.
3. Heat the oil in a large, deep pan to 170°C (340°F), filling it no more than a third full. Fry 3–4 at a time for 2 min per side until deep golden with a pale ring around the middle. Lift out onto kitchen paper and keep the oil at temperature between batches.
4. When cool enough to handle, poke a hole in the side of each with a chopstick and pipe in about 1 tbsp jam.
5. Dust thickly with icing sugar and eat the same day.

Tips

• Use a thermometer: too cool and they turn greasy, too hot and they brown before the middle cooks. Never leave hot oil unattended.
• The splash of vodka or rum is optional; leave it out for an alcohol-free dough.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

King Arthur Baking BBC Good Food