These doughnuts are one of my family's favourites for a tea time treat.
60ml evaporated milk
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon butter, melted
11g dried yeast
1 egg , at room temperature (about 28 to 30 degrees C)
1 teaspoon salt (fine grains)
8 ozs (240g) plain flour
A little more flour (1 cup) for kneading and dusting work surface
oil for deep frying
Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter and mix. Set aside.
Warm the milk to a temperature where you can dip a finger into it and feel the heat but it will not burn. Blend in the yeast and sugar until it is smooth with 1 tablespoon of flour to make a slurry. Leave for 5 to 10 minutes and see if it forths. (If it does not, the yeast is probably inactive. Get new yeast.)
Make a well in the flour and add the yeast mixture and beaten egg. Mix with a wooden spoon till it comes together. Then use your hands to mix until it is combined and dough does not stick to the sides of the bowl.
Place this dough in a bowl that is larger than dough and lightly greased. Cover with cling plastic and leave to rise for 30 to 45 minutes.
Lightly grease two baking sheets or large plates. Set aside.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface (use the extra 1 cup of flour) and knead lighly for a minute or two to knock out any air bubbles and bring it all together.
Roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thickness and cut out circles as closely together with a donut cutter. Put the cut-out dough on the plates or trays. Re-roll the left-over trimmings of dough and cut out more doughnuts. Put them on the tray and cover loosely with cling plastic. Leave to rise for 20 minutes.
Heat a deep sided skillet or a pot with sufficient oil to deep-fry. When oil is 180 degrees C, gently lower doughnuts into the hot oil. Let it deep-fry for 2 minutes until a light shade of brown. Remember to turn doughnuts over and cook another minute. Place on absorbent kitchen paper towels. (Depending on the heat of the oil, your doughnuts may reach browning state quicker. Lower heat if the oil get too hot after a while).
Mix one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and 2 to 3 tablespoons of caster sugar in a plate. When the doughnuts are not hot to handle, dust them in this sugar coating.
You can also melt milk chocolate (or use nutella) and chocolate coat the doughnuts (do this when doughnuts have cooled down).
Note: You can also use an icing sugar glaze and stick chopped ground nuts or coloured sugar "rice" on the doughnuts.
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