Baked Jam Doughnuts

Next week I’m running a week-long Cookery School for 6-11 year olds and for the last week I’ve been busy finalising arrangements and testing recipes. Each day is themed and one of the days is America. We couldn’t do an American themed day without making doughnuts and the fact I have a slight fear of frying, especially around children, this had to be a baked recipe. You can buy doughnut tins but part of my business ethos is about making cookery accessible for all. Having to buy a special tin doesn’t make it accessible.

The doughnut base is a rich, sweetened, yeasted dough. To begin with it is quite rough and sticky, but the more you knead the dough the smoother and silkier it becomes. For children it’s a lovely dough to work with because it’s almost like soft Play-Doh. The dough could be shaped in different ways. Who says you can’t have a heart or hedgehog shaped doughnut? I did attempt some ring doughnuts but they closed up during baking. If you wanted ring shapes just make the rings thin and spread them out to give the dough sufficient space to rise.

These doughnuts are baked with the jam already inside them. You can pipe the jam (or custard if your that way inclined) into the middle after they have been baked but it can be quite tricky unless you have a scary looking Bismark piping tube that is long enough to get to the centre. You have to admit, an asymmetrically filled doughnut is a disappointing doughnut.

If you like doughnuts you should really try this recipe. I was surprised how good they tasted and because they have been baked rather then fried surely they have to be better for you. I’m sure my pupils next week will really enjoy this recipe.

Baked Jam Doughnuts
Makes 12
Based on BBC Good Food recipe

200g strong white bread flour

1 heaped tbsp caster sugar

pinch of salt

25g butter

1 tsp fast action yeast

1 egg

75ml (5 tbsp) milk

4 tbsp jam

for the coating

3 tbsp icing sugar

2 tbsp cold water

85g caster sugar

1) In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar and salt then rub in the butter.

2) Heat the milk for 20 seconds in the microwave so it is hand hot. Add the yeast, beaten egg and heated milk to the flour and mix until you have a soft dough.

3) Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 mins, or until you have a soft dough. Place back in bowl, cover bowl with clingfilm and allow to rise for 1 hour.

4) Knock the dough back then split into 12 equal sized balls.

5) Flatten out each ball until it is a disk approximately 9cm in diameter. Place 1 tsp of jam in the centre then fold over the edges of the dough to encase the jam. If need be use a small amount of water to help seal the dough. Place well spaced on a lined baking tray.

6) Cover and allow to rise again for 30 min.

7) Bake at 180oc for 10 minutes or until the doughnuts are risen and golden. Allow to cool for 10 minutes while you sort out the topping.

8 ) In a bowl mix together the icing sugar and water. Dip the doughnuts in this sugary mix first then coat in the caster sugar. Allow to dry and cool before trying to eat them without licking your lips.