Golden Spiced Donuts

Ingredients:

Starter dough:

100gm high grade flour

250ml milk

2t dried yeast

Dough:

400gm high grade flour

½ t salt

3 eggs, beaten

85gm caster sugar

85gm Westgold butter, melted

2t each ground cinnamon, ginger, mixed spice

¼ ground nutmeg

Oil for deep frying

Golden glaze:

200gm icing sugar

100gm Westgold butter

3-4t ground ginger

2T golden syrup

2t lemon juice

Method:

Starter dough:

Warm the milk to blood temperature and pour into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle over the yeast and stir until dissolved. Add the flour and mix to a sticky dough.  Cover and leave until foamy and sponge like.

Dough:

Add the next measure of flour, salt and spices to the starter dough. Whisk together the eggs, melted butter and sugar and add to the flour mixture.  Using a dough hook, knead for 5 minutes on medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic.  Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour to prove.  Heat the oil in a  deep fryer to 170deg.  Gently tip the dough onto a lightly floured bench and pat out using your finger tips to a thickness of about 1.5cm, being careful to not knock out too much air.  It is a soft and slightly sticky dough, which is what makes a light and soft donut.  Dip the cutter into flour and cut out 2 big circles.  Dip the smaller cutter into flour and cut out the center hole.

Gently put 2 donuts into the oil 2 at a time and fry 2-3 minutes on each side until golden. Drain on paper towels.  Repeat until you have 10-12 donuts. Ice while still warm.

Golden glaze:

In a saucepan on a low heat, melt butter and golden syrup. Stir in icing sugar, ginger and lemon juice. Dip the donuts into the icing and leave to drip on a rack.  Top with desired decorations and serve while still warm.