The Rookie Chef

Nadiya Ziafat explores the dishes she loves and enlists help from cookery writers and chefs in getting them just right

In this episode, baker and food writer Benjamina Ebuehi shares her secrets to making the best doughnuts.

BENJAMINA’S TOP TIPS

● Take the weather into account when leaving doughnuts to rise. In summer, your kitchen will be warmer, and your dough will rise faster, whereas in colder weather it will take longer – sometimes even double the time, or more. ● Don’t under-knead – though it can feel like forever, kneading is so important. Set a timer so you know how long you’ve been doing it. The longer you knead, the softer and smoother the dough gets, which is what you want. ● A thermometer is essential to make sure the oil is the right temperature. Too low and the doughnuts will soak the oil up, too hot and they’ll burn on the outside and be raw in the middle.