Ingredients:
1 quantity doughnut dough
1 quart (1 liter) sunflower oil or vegetable oil, for
deep-frying, plus extra for greasing
sugar, for dusting
For the coating and filling
sugar, for coating
1 cup ready-made custard

Method:
1 Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently knock it back and divide into 12 balls.

2 Place the balls on baking sheets, spacing them well apart to allow room for spreading. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and a paper towels, and leave in a warm place for 1–2 hours until almost doubled in size.

3 Pour the oil into a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan to a depth of at least 4in (10cm) and heat it to 340–350°F (170–180°C).

4 Keep the saucepan lid nearby and never leave the hot oil unattended. Regulate the temperature, making sure it remains even, or the doughnuts will burn.

5 Slide the risen doughnuts off the baking sheets using a metal spatula. Do not worry if they are flatter on one side; they will puff up when cooking.

6 Place them rounded-side down into the hot oil and cook 3 at a time for about 1 minute, turning as soon as the underside is golden brown. When golden brown on all sides, remove the doughnuts from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels. Turn off the heat when finished frying.

7 While hot, toss them in sugar and leave to cool. To fill the doughnuts, place the custard in the piping bag and pierce the doughnut on the side, where there is a perceptible mark, if possible.

8 Make sure the nozzle goes into the center of the doughnut. Squirt 1 tablespoon of custard into the doughnut, until it almost starts to spill out.

9 Dust the hole with sugar to disguise it. Serve. STORE Keep in an airtight container for 1 day.

Custard Doughnuts Recipe