Buttermilk Doughnuts with Spiced Mulberry Jam and Chai sugar and dried flower dusting

What are those little puffed magic delights I hear you ask? Oh just some buttermilk doughnuts with spiced mulberry jam and a chai sugar and dried flower dusting THAT YOU WANT SWASHING ABOUT YOUR INSIDES IMMEDIATELY.

Hear this my fellow children of the 80s, these puppies are the food equivalent of the magical library book in the NeverEnding Story, Ferris Beuller's Day Off (the entire day), One-eyed Willies hidden treasure in the Goonies and that epic fist pump in the closing scenes of The Breakfast Club. So good!

I realise I am making rather grand proclamations about a doughnut but this batch is particularly tasty and I recommend you get involved. You and the fine people lucky enough to enjoy them will not be disappointed.

Of course you don't have to make your own jam although I've supplied a recipe just in case – you can sub in with a good quality store bought version and I am willing to admit that the dried flowers look super pretty but with all the spice working in these they do not add to the flavour. It's a looks thing so feel free to omit if you don't have any.  

You can also bake these if you don't want to give them a quick tan in some oil and you can swap out the sugar in the dusting for a coconut sugar if you are that way inclined.

Enjoy them. I really think you will.  Best eaten on the day of making.

(Makes 20 doughnuts)

Ingredients

Doughnuts

250ml buttermilk, lukewarm

1 x 7g sachet dried yeast

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

450g plain flour

55g caster sugar

A pinch of salt

1 egg at room temperature, lightly whisked

35g butter, softened at room temperature

Rice bran oil for deep frying

Mulberry jam

250g mulberries

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Sugar dusting

220g caster sugar

2 teaspsoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

½ teaspoon ground fennel

dried edible flowers (optional)

Method

Combine the buttermilk, yeast and vanilla in a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of flour and 1 teaspoon of the sugar and whisk until combined. Set aside for fifteen minutes.

Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Attach the dough hook and mix briefly until combined. Continue the motor running on low and pour in the buttermilk mixture, egg and melted butter.  Mix until the dough comes away from the bowl and is smooth and elastic. It will still feel slightly sticky. Cover with a tea towel and set aside to rest at room temperature for 90 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

To make the jam place all ingredients in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to the boil and using a large metal spoon, remove any skim that froths to the surface and use the spoon to help breakdown the mulberries. Reduce heat to low and simmer until a jam consistency is reached – about 30 minutes.

For the sugar dusting combine all the ingredients in a large shallow dish and set aside.

Line two large trays with baking paper. Gently roll the dough into golf ball sized doughnuts and place on the trays. Leave some room as the dough will puff and rise again. Cover with a tea towel and let rest again for 40 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large heavy based saucepan over medium high heat until it reaches 180C. If you don't have a thermometer you can check by adding a tiny bit of doughnut dough – it should bubble lightly around the surface and rise to the top very quickly. Deep-fry the doughnuts in batches, turning often for 2-3 minutes or until puffed, golden and cooked through. Transfer to paper towel to drain briefly and while still hot gently toss in the sugar to coat all sides. Allow to cool slightly.

Transfer the jam into a piping bag and gently pipe into the centre of each doughnut. Serve slightly warm.