Custard-stuffed Hot Cross Doughnuts

Preparation 1HR 55M

Cook 45

Serves 16

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Method

Place the water, sultanas, currants, cinnamon, vanilla bean and honey in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a simmer to cook for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Liqueur 43 (if using). Set aside for 30 minutes to steep and cool. Discard the vanilla bean and cinnamon quill. Drain through a sieve set over a jug, reserving the steeping liquid. Set aside.
To make the custard, place custard powder in a saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons of the milk and mix until smooth and well combined. Stir in the remaining milk, then add the cream. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture boils and thickens. Add the chopped chocolate and mix until smooth. Set aside to cool. Spoon into a piping bag and place in the fridge until required.
Place the warmed milk in a jug. Add the yeast and 3 tablespoons of reserved steeping liquid to the warm milk. Set aside in a warm spot for 5-10 minutes until foaming. Place flour, mixed spice and butter into the bowl of a large food processor (your processor needs to be at least 12 cups). Process until butter is incorporated. With the motor running, pour the milk mixture and egg. Process for 1-2 minutes or until dough has formed a ball and is smooth and elastic. If the dough is a bit to sticky, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time, until it is the right consistency. Add drained sultanas and pulse to combine. Turn onto a floured surface and bring the dough together. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl. cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour or until mixture has doubled in size.
Line two trays with baking paper. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes, knocking the air out. Cut the dough into 16 even portions. Roll each portion into a ball and place on the lined tray and flatten slightly, allowing a little room between each to expand. Cover with a tea towel and set aside for 30 minutes to prove.
Place 4 doughnuts in the wire basket of an air fryer and brush with melted butter. Air fry at 180°C for 8 minutes or until crisp and golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts. (Alternatively, heat a saucepan of vegetable oil to 160°C and deep-fry doughnuts, turning halfway through, for 2-3 minutes or until golden and cooked through).
Cut a small slit into the base of each doughnut. Pipe custard into the slit on the base of each doughnut. Return to the rack, cut side down.Step 7
Brush the doughnuts with the remaining reserved steeping liquid and set aside for 5 minutes to set.
Place the melted white chocolate melts into a piping bag. Snip the corner and pipe a cross over each doughnut. Set aside for 5 minutes to set.

Ingredients

80ml (1/3 cup) water

90g (1 cup) Sunbeam Sultanas

45g (1/4 cup) Sunbeam Currants

1 cinnamon stick

1 vanilla bean, split lengthways

125ml (1/2 cup) honey

1 tbsp Liqueur 43 or your favourite liquor (optional)

7g sachet dried yeast

300ml milk, warmed

600g (4 cups) plain flour, plus extra for dusting

1/2 tsp mixed spice

100g unsalted butter, at room temperature, chopped

1 egg

Melted butter, to brush

White chocolate melts, melted, cooled

Custard

2 tbsp custard powder

200ml milk

125ml (1/2 cup) thickened cream

80g white chocolate coarsely chopped

Recipe Collection

Asparagus Pastries

Preheat oven to 180°C.

  1. Cut each pastry sheets into 4 squares. Mark 1cm in from the edge of pastry to resemble a photo frame. Place on paper lined baking trays.
  2. Panfry onions in oil for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Pour in wine and brown sugar and cook for a further 5 minutes stirring continuously. Stir in pine nuts and cool.
  3. Place heaped spoonfuls of onion mixture into the centre of each pastry square. Arrange mushrooms and asparagus on top. Sprinkle with feta and brush edges with egg. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes. Serve.

Apple & Sultana Crumble Cake

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease a 22cm spring form pan and line the base with baking paper.

2. Place butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time until well incorporated.

3. Add sour cream, followed by the flour, almond meal and spice. Mix until batter is smooth. Add sultanas, mixing in well. Spoon into prepared pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle with diced apples.

4. For the crumble, combine oats, sugar and butter in a bowl and using fingertips, rub to combine so mixture resembles chunky breadcrumbs. Mix in the almonds. Sprinkle over apples and bake for 1 hour or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Serve warm with custard or cream.

Christmas Nougat

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Lightly brush a 15cm square cake pan with oil. Line the base with 1 sheet of rice paper.2Spread pistachios over baking tray. Bake for 4-5 minutes, until toasted.

Set aside to cool.3In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, honey, glucose and water, and stir over low heat for 5-7 minutes, until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil, without stirring, for 20 minutes, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water.

Remove from heat.4Meanwhile, in a clean bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg-white and rosewater together until stiff peaks form. With the motor running, pour hot sugar syrup into the egg-white mixture in a thin, steady stream.

Using a metal spoon, stir in pistachios and cranberries. Pour into prepared pan. Press firmly into the base.

Top with the remaining rice paper sheet. Set aside in a cool, dry place for 4 hours to set.

Turn nougat onto a chopping board and cut into 3cm squares to serve.

Baked Spiced Cauliflower Salad

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Trim cauliflower, cut into florets and place in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Combine seeds and spices with the oil and pour over cauliflower. Mix well with your hands to ensure even coating. Tip into a single layer on a baking tray and cook for 20 minutes or until golden and tender. Set aside to cool.
  3. Whisk together the oil, vinegar and maple. Place cauliflower onto a serving platter and toss gently with the spinach leaves. Sprinkle with feta and pomegranate seeds. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

Chocolate Raisin Brownies

Preheat oven to 180°C.

  1. Line a 20 x 30cm baking tray tin with baking paper. Place the chocolate, butter and sugar in a pan and gently melt over low heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat.Step 1
  2. Stir the eggs, one by one, into the melted chocolate mixture. Add flour and cocoa, and stir through. Stir raisins through mixture. Spread out evenly in baking tray and bake for 30 mins. Allow to cool before slicing into squares.

HINT: FOR AN INDULGENT ADULT TREAT, SOAK RAISINS IN 1/2 CUP DARK RUM BEFORE ADDING.

Spiced Lemon Cake

Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).

  1.  Place butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer, beat until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until well incorporated.

  2. Fold in the sifted flour, almond meal, baking powder and spice alternately with the sour cream, mixing until well combined. Add lemon juice and rind, mixing well.

  3. Spoon batter into a greased and lined 20cm square cake pan. Sprinkle the pine nuts and currants over the top and bake for 40- 45 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

  4. For the syrup: Place sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer until reduced, thick and syrupy. Remove cinnamon stick.

  5. Drizzle the syrup evenly over the cake, allowing it to be absorbed. Allow to cool in the pan for 1 hour. Serve cake pieces with a dollop of thick cream or yoghurt.
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