Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes, plus 2 hours proving and cooling

Cinnamon doughnuts with organic blackberry jam

Cinnamon doughnuts with organic blackberry jam

Serves: 20

Making jam is a perfect way to preserve seasonal organic berries, and Tom Aikens uses late season blackberries to make a rich, fruity jam to fill his delicious sugar-crusted doughnuts. Lightly spiced with fragrant cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, these doughnuts make a perfect winter treat and could even be made in mini size for an irresistible Christmas party snack.

Ingredients:

Blackberry jam

625g of organic blackberries

400g of sugar

75ml of lemon juice

12.5g of pectin

Doughnuts

420g of organic plain flour, plus extra for dusting

50g of caster sugar

30g of fresh yeast

1 1/2 tsp salt

125g of water, warm

60g of organic milk, warm

4 large organic egg yolks, beaten

45g of organic butter, softened

oil, for frying

Spiced sugar

100g of caster sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground mixed spice

1 pinch of ground cloves

Equipment

Sugar thermometer

Deep-fryer

1) To make the jam, take 100g of the sugar and mix with the pectin. Set this aside for later

2) Place the berries in a pan with the remaining 300g of the sugar and the lemon juice. Cook over a medium heat until the temperature reaches 105°C on a sugar thermometer, this will take about 20 minutes

3) Add the sugar and pectin mixture and keep stirring the jam while it comes back up to 105°C

4) If the jam is ready, a small amount placed on a cold plate in the fridge will set quickly and form a skin, if not, keep cooking for a few minutes longer before testing again

5) Allow the jam it to cool completely before storing in a jar until ready to fill the doughnuts, or seal in sterilized jars if making ahead

6) For the enriched dough, mix together the warm water and milk then whisk in the fresh yeast. Add the flour, salt and sugar to a food mixer fitted with a dough hook and begin mixing gently while pouring the liquid

7) Increase the speed and add the egg yolks then the butter. Cover and allow to prove for 1 hour

8) When at least doubled in size, knead the dough briefly on a lightly floured work surface then split into 20 pieces. Roll the mixture into smooth balls and space out on baking trays lined with greaseproof paper. Allow to prove again for another 30 minutes

9) When ready to cook, preheat a deep fryer, or large pan of oil, to 160°C and mix together the sugar and spices in a bowl

10) Add the doughnuts to the hot oil in batches and fry for 5 minutes until an even golden-brown colour, turning frequently as they cook then drain from the oil

11)When cool, insert a knife into the side of each doughnut to make a hole. Place the jam in a piping bag and use to fill each doughnut before rolling in the spiced sugar to coat

Recipe - Tom Aikens

Created as part of #OrganicUnboxed for The Organic Trade Board's 'Organic.Naturally Different' campaign

Tagged in