Crème brûlèe doughnuts

Method

1. To make the doughnuts, place the flour, sugar, salt, lemon zest, eggs and yeast into a bowl along with 5 tablespoons of water. Bring these ingredients together, then turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead for 5 minutes using the heel of your hand. Let the dough rest for 1 minute.

2. Start to add the butter a quarter at a time, kneading it in until it is all incorporated. Knead the dough for a further 5 minutes until it is glossy, smooth and very elastic when pulled.

3. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a plate and leave to prove until doubled in size, about 1½ hours.

4. Knock back the dough, re-cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

5. The next day, remove the dough from the fridge and cut into 10 pieces, about 50g/1¾oz each. Dust a large baking sheet with flour or grease with a little oil.

6. Roll the dough into 10 smooth, tight buns and place on the prepared baking sheet, spaced well apart.

7. Cover lightly with a damp kitchen towel or some lightly oiled cling film and leave to prove for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

8. Preheat the oil in a deep fat fryer to 180C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Once it’s heated, remove the doughnuts from the tray by sliding a floured dough scraper or spatula underneath, taking care not to deflate them, and carefully lower them into the oil. Don’t overcrowd the fryer. Fry for 2 minutes each side until golden brown – they will puff up and float.

9. Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the doughnuts from the fryer, then place onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain. Toss them in the caster sugar while still warm.

10. Repeat until all the doughnuts are fried, making sure the fryer remains at the correct temperature throughout. Leave the doughnuts to cool before filling.

11. To make the custard, put the vanilla pod, seeds and milk into a heavy-based saucepan and bring slowly to the boil to infuse the milk.

12. Meanwhile, place the egg yolks and 60g/2¼oz of the sugar in a bowl and mix together for a few seconds, then sift in the flour and mix together. Pour the boiling milk over the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling, then return the mixture to the pan and cook over a medium heat, whisking constantly for about 3 minutes until nice and thick.

13. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a clean bowl, then place a sheet of baking paper or a scattering of caster sugar on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin forming. Leave the custard to cool, then refrigerate until cold.

14. To finish the custard, in a clean bowl whip the cream and remaining 30g/1oz sugar together until thick, then fold into the chilled custard until well combined. Transfer to a piping bag.

15. To fill the doughnuts, make a hole in the crease of each one with a butter knife (anywhere in the white line between the fried top and bottom).

16. Pipe the custard into the doughnuts until they go plump, then squeeze an extra blob of custard onto the outside of the doughnut.

17. Dip the doughnuts custard-side down into a bowl of demerara sugar, to create a flattened, sugar-coated area of custard, then place the doughnuts custard-side up on a baking sheet.

18. Use a cook's blow torch to carefully caramelise the sugary top of each doughnut for a few seconds, until browned and crisp.