Recipe: Fried apple doughnuts with vanilla mascarpone

Fried apple doughnuts with vanilla mascarpone. Photo / Babiche Martens

Makes 16

Apple filling
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs caster sugar
2 apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup apple juice

Doughnut mixture
1 Tbs dried yeast
1 cup lukewarm milk
2 cups strong flour
1 tsp salt
50g butter, diced
1 egg
1 Tbs sugar
Oil for frying - vegetable or rice bran
200g mascarpone mixed with 2 tsp vanilla extract

1 To make the filling; gently simmer all the ingredients together until soft then leave to cool.

2 To make the doughnut mixture; mix the yeast with half of the warmed milk then set aside to begin fermenting.

3 Sieve the flour and salt together. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

4 Mix the egg, sugar and remaining milk together then gently knead to make a soft dough.

5 Place in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp teatowel. Leave in a warm place until doubled in size.

6 Preheat the oil to 175C. Shape the dough into balls, placing the apple filling in the centre. Fry until golden, turning to ensure an even colour. Roll in sugar then serve with vanilla mascarpone on the side.