This doughnut recipe works for all doughnuts: filled, glazed, sugar – anything.

Method:

• Mix the yeast, a pinch of sugar and the warm water in a small bowl and stir to combine. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbly.
• Combine the flour, salt, caster sugar and No Egg in the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment.
• In another bowl, mix the yeast mixture with warm soy milk and lemon zest. Slowly pour into the mixer on low speed. Continue mixing until the liquid is completely incorporated. If the mixture seems too sticky, add a little extra flour, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl.
• Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the dough, increase the speed to medium and mix for 1 minute before adding the remaining butter. At this stage, the dough may look as though the butter isn’t incorporating. That’s OK. If necessary, add a little extra flour, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl again. Beat on medium speed for about 4 minutes, or until the dough is soft, smooth and elastic.
• Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Set aside to prove in a warm place until doubled in size — from 30 and 60 minutes depending on the room temperature.
• Dust your work surface with flour. Dust a rolling pin with flour and roll out the dough until it is approximately 1.5 cm thick. 
• Cut out your doughnuts using a large cutter, then use an extra small cutter to cut the doughnut holes. 
• Keep the doughnut holes – chef’s treat.
• Transfer the doughnuts to a baking tray sprayed with cooking spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to prove again until doubled in size.
• The dough should feel very soft and bounce back slowly when pressed with a fingertip.
• In a deep-fryer or large, heavy-based saucepan, heat enough oil for deep frying until it reaches 170°C on a cooking thermometer, or until a scrap of dough dropped into the oil browns in 15 seconds.
• Carefully drop a few doughnuts into the oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for approximately 1 minute before turning over and frying for another minute on the other side. If you decide to make larger doughnuts, cooking time will be a little longer, so go by the colour, making sure they’re a beautiful golden brown both sides. Test one by breaking it in half to make sure it’s cooked all the way through.
• Transfer to paper towels and allow to drain and cool slightly.
• Toss the doughnuts in the cinnamon sugar as soon as they are no longer wet with oil.
   

Recipe adapted from vegan cookbook Smith & Deli-cious: Food From Our Deli (that happens to be vegan) by Shannon Martinez & Mo Wyse (Hardie Grant Books)

Recipe first published in the JC December 03 2018