Recipe: Hot souffléd doughnuts with lemon curd sauce

Paul Clerehugh, owner and head chef at the Crooked Billet in Stoke Row and London Street Brasserie in Reading, shares his recipes with Standard readers.

Here’s one of the most popular desserts served both at London Street Brasserie and the Crooked Billet — warm souffléd doughnuts dredged in heaps of cinnamon sugar and zingy lemon curd sauce.

SERVES 4

100g caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp for coating

100g unsalted butter

125g plain flour

4 eggs, beaten

sunflower oil, for frying

1 tsp ground cinnamon



For the lemon curd sauce:

20g caster sugar

zest & juice of 2 lemons

75g unsalted butter

3 eggs



First make the lemon curd sauce. Place a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, don’t let the bowl touch the water. Place the sugar, lemon zest & juice in the pan & heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Remove the bowl from the pan & stir in the butter. Leave to cool.

Beat the eggs into the cooled lemon butter. Replace the bowl over the simmering water & stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the mixture begins to thicken. The mixture is ready when it’s thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.

Now make the doughnuts. Bring 250ml water, 100g sugar & the butter to boil in a pan. Remove from the heat. Sift the flour into the pan, mix it into the liquid with a wooden spoon & return the pan to a moderate heat. Cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture leaves the side of the pan. Remove from the heat & allow to cool.

Gradually add the beaten eggs to the sauce, beating well to make a paste with a thick, dropping consistency. Chill for one hour to firm up the paste.

Heat sunflower oil for deep-frying to 170°C. Mix the remaining caster sugar with cinnamon on a plate or dish.

Using a spoon, scoop walnut-sized portions of mixture. Drop the mixture into the oil & cook for 10-12 minutes, until they puff up, double in size & are golden in colour.

Drain the doughnuts well on kitchen paper, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar mix. Serve hot with lemon curd sauce.

Paul Clerehugh, owner and head chef at the Crooked Billet in Stoke Row and London Street Brasserie in Reading, shares his recipes with Standard readers.

HERE’s one of the most popular desserts served both at London Street Brasserie and the Crooked Billet — warm souffléd doughnuts dredged in heaps of cinnamon sugar and zingy lemon curd sauce. This is a light and delicious dessert, perfect for an elegant summer dinner party al fresco or simply as a treat for the children.



SERVES FOUR

Ingredients:

100g caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp for coating

100g unsalted butter

125g plain flour

4 eggs, beaten

sunflower oil, for frying

1 tsp ground cinnamon



For the lemon curd sauce:

20g caster sugar

zest and juice of 2 lemons

75g unsalted butter

3 eggs



Method:

First make the lemon curd sauce. Place a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, but don’t let the bowl touch the water.

Place the sugar, lemon zest and juice in the pan and heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir in the butter. Leave to cool.

Beat the eggs into the cooled lemon butter. Replace the bowl over the simmering water and stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the mixture begins to thicken. The mixture is ready when it’s thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.

Now make the doughnuts. Bring 250ml water, 100g sugar and the butter to boil in a pan. Remove from the heat. Sift the flour into the pan, mix it into the liquid with a wooden spoon and return the pan to a moderate heat.

Cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture leaves the side of the pan. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.

Gradually add the beaten eggs to the sauce, beating well to make a paste with a thick, dropping consistency.Chill for one hour to firm up the paste.

Heat sunflower oil for deep-frying to 170°C. Mix the remaining caster sugar with cinnamon on a plate or dish.

Using a spoon, scoop walnut-sized portions of mixture. Drop the mixture into the oil and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until they puff up, double in size and are golden in colour.

Drain the doughnuts well on kitchen paper, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar mix. Serve hot with lemon curd sauce.