Peanut butter donuts
MAKES 10
FOR THE DOUGH
⚫ 285g plain flour, plus extra to dust
⚫ 2tsp fast-action dried yeast
⚫ 25g caster sugar
⚫ 2tsp vanilla sugar
⚫ 25g unsalted butter, softened and diced
⚫ 125ml lukewarm milk
⚫ 1 large egg
FOR THE ICING
⚫ 100g dark chocolate
⚫ 30g peanut butter
⚫ 1tsp caster sugar
⚫ 1tsp coconut oil
YOU WILL ALSO NEED
⚫ 1.5 litres vegetable oil, to deep-fry
⚫ 40g peanuts, finely chopped, to sprinkle
1 To make the dough, mix the flour, yeast, caster sugar, vanilla sugar and a pinch of salt together in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the diced butter, milk and egg. Mix to make a dough, then knead for about 7min until smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl and let the dough prove for 1-2hr until it has doubled in volume.
2 Divide dough into 10 pieces, each weighing about 50g. Shape into balls on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle surface with another layer of flour, put the balls on top, cover and leave to prove again for 20min. Push your thumb through the middle of each dough ball to create a hole and make circular movements with your thumb to widen the hole until it is 3-4cm in diameter. Cover and leave the dough rings on a floured work surface to prove for another 15min. 3 Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat 4cm oil for deep-frying to about 175°C. Using a large, slotted spoon, lower the donuts into the hot oil
1 at a time and deep-fry in batches until golden brown, turning once. Drain on kitchen paper and leave to cool completely.
4 To make the icing, break the chocolate into small pieces and melt with the other ingredients in a bowl over a bain-marie, stirring constantly until smooth. Allow to cool a little, then spread on top of the donuts. Sprinkle the chopped peanuts on 1 side of the icing before it sets. Serve the donuts once the icing has set.
Triple choc cookies
MAKES 16
⚫ 150g plain flour
⚫ 3/4tsp baking powder
⚫ 3 heaped tsp cocoa powder
⚫ 100g unsalted butter, softened and diced
⚫ 55g caster sugar
⚫ 2tsp vanilla sugar
⚫ 1 extra large egg
⚫ 55g white chocolate
⚫ 55g dark chocolate
⚫ 55g milk chocolate
YOU WILL ALSO NEED
⚫ Flaked sea salt, to sprinkle
1 Sift flour, baking powder and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl. Beat the butter with the sugars in another bowl until light and creamy. Beat in the egg, then gradually stir in the dry ingredients until combined. Chop the white, dark and milk chocolates and fold in, then chill for 20min.
2 Preheat oven to 175°C (mark 3) and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Roll mixture into 16 balls, each about 4cm in diameter. Place the balls, well spaced apart, on the prepared baking sheet and press to flatten slightly.
3 Sprinkle the cookies with a little sea salt and bake in the preheated oven for 12-15min. When the cookies come out of the oven, they will still seem quite soft, but will firm up on the baking sheet as they cool.
Almond rugelach with apricots and pistachios
MAKES 16
FOR THE DOUGH
⚫ 100g unsalted butter, softened
⚫ 75g full fat cream cheese
⚫ 1 large egg yolk
⚫ 125g plain flour
⚫ 25g ground almonds
⚫ 2tsp vanilla sugar
⚫ 1/4tsp ground cinnamon
FOR THE FILLING
⚫ 25g chopped almonds
⚫ 125g apricot jam
YOU WILL ALSO NEED
⚫ 25g pistachio kernels
⚫ 25g brown sugar
1 To make the dough, cut the butter into small pieces, place in a bowl with the cream cheese and egg yolk, and stir until smooth. In another bowl, mix the flour with the almonds, vanilla sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt, then slowly knead into the butter mixture until you have a smooth dough. Shape the dough into a ball, press down to flatten it slightly, wrap in clingfilm and chill for at least 1hr.
2 To make the filling, toast the almonds briefly in a dry frying pan until golden. For the topping, finely grind the pistachios and sugar in a food processor and spread in an even layer on the work surface. Roll out the dough over the pistachio mixture into a disk approximately 4mm thick and 26-28cm in diameter, turning the dough over once or twice so it is thinly coated with the nut mixture on both sides. Neaten the edges.
3 Preheat oven to 180°C (mark 4). Spread the apricot jam over the dough, leaving a border of about 2cm round the edge and a circle of about 7cm in diameter uncovered in the middle. Sprinkle the toasted almonds over the jam. Use a pizza cutter to slice the disk into 16 equal wedges. Roll each wedge up, starting at the wide end and finishing at the point. Press down gently on the points to seal the rolls.
4 Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and arrange the rugelach on top, evenly spaced apart with the points facing down. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-24min until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.