Jam Doughnuts

When I think of Jam Doughnuts, I think of sitting around the kitchen table straight after school with my sister and brothers waiting for these to come out of the oven.  My mother didn’t make them, she would buy them from the local bakery and then heat them up for us.  Making these brought back those happy memories.  Inhaling the aromas with my eyes closed took me back to our kitchen in ‘The Crest’, Frankston.  I then tasted one, and when I opened my eyes I almost hoped to see my mother standing there…. well,  I can dream…

I hope you try to make these.  You can’t rush this recipe, the yeast requires time to do what it does best, but if you follow the recipe you shouldn’t have any trouble making them.  The only problem I had was while I was cooking them.  My oil became a little too hot, so a couple cooked too quickly on the outside, they didn’t puff up as they should, and they were a little raw inside. I lowered the heat, and waited a little before I continued to finish them. 

Once they had finished their obligatory photo shoot, these jam doughnuts ended up being devoured by the kids at the beach…. after I’d removed one for myself of course!

Jam Doughnuts

• 490g  plain flour
• 55g caster sugar
• 3 teaspoons dried yeast
• Pinch of salt
• 250ml milk
• 100g butter, melted
• 3 egg yolks
• oil, to deep-fry
• Raspberry or Strawberry jam
• sugar (to dust)

1. In a large bowl, add flour, sugar, yeast and salt and mix well.
2. Melt butter, heat milk until warm  (make sure it isn’t too hot) and lightly beat egg yolks. Make a well in flour mixture and mix in milk, butter & egg yolks.
3. Stir until combined.  Dough will be sticky.  Add some flour to your hands, and turn dough out onto a well-floured surface.  Knead until smooth.
4. Place dough into a greased bowl, and cover for 1 1/2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.

5. Knead dough again on a lightly floured surface for a couple of minutes and dough is again smooth. Roll out dough until 1cm thick, and rest for 2 minutes.

6. Use a 7cm round cutter to cut out discs, (kneading left over dough, rolling out and repeating). You should achieve 12 – 16. Set aside for 30 minutes to prove on baking paper.

7. Prepare oil for frying, a plate covered in paper towel and a bowl or plate with sugar.  Spoon jam of choice into a piping bag fitted with a small 5mm nozzle.

8. Deep-fry each disc for 1-2 minutes each side or until golden and puffed. Place on the plate lined with paper towel, then quickly toss into the sugar. Using the piping bag,  push the nozzle into the side of the doughnuts and pipe in jam.