Orange-zested doughnuts with lemon curd

Makes 12 Cakes, Bread and Pastries

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Method

The day before, sift the flour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the yeast, salt, sugar, egg yolks, orange zest and 175ml tepid water and mix gently on a medium speed for 10 minutes. Continue mixing and add the softened butter, around 30g at a time, until completely incorporated and the dough looks glossy and comes away from the sides of the bowl.

Sprinkle a little flour into a large bowl, put the dough in it and cover with a clean tea towel. Leave in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Knock the dough back, then transfer it to a clean bowl, cover and leave in the fridge overnight.

The next day, cut the dough into 12 small pieces and roll into balls with floured hands. Put them, evenly spaced, on a baking sheet and leave to prove in a warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Half-fill a large deep pan with the oil and heat to 170–180C or until a cube of bread sizzles and rises to the surface in 30 seconds. Fry the doughnuts, 2 or 3 at a time, until golden brown, making sure the temperature stays constant – if it gets too hot, the doughnuts will easily burn. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Put some sugar on a plate, then roll the warm doughnuts in the sugar to finish.

To fill, make a small hole in the side of each doughnut with the end of a narrow wooden spoon handle. Put the lemon curd in a small piping bag and snip off the tip. Pipe a small amount of curd into the hole in each doughnut and serve warm.