For a real treat, you must try The Agrarian Kitchen's Brioche doughnuts with ricotta and blackcurrants. We can't go past this doughy and sugary dessert!
Ingredients
1/4 cup caster sugar
250g frozen blackcurrants
320g ricotta
25g pure icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp pouring cream
Vegetable oil, for deep frying
Brioche doughnuts
225g plain flour
1 tsp dried yeast
1 tbsp caster sugar
30ml milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
125g soft butter
Ricotta
Makes about 1kg
5 litres milk (cow, sheep or goats milk can be used)
60ml white vinegar
Recipes Rodney Dunn (Co-Founder) and Stephen Peak (Head Chef)
Photography Rémi Chauvin
Method
Brioche donuts
1. For brioche, combine flour, yeast, sugar and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed until combined then, with motor running, add milk and beaten egg and mix until it just comes together. Add butter, a little at a time, beating until each addition has been incorporated before adding the next, until the dough is smooth and shiny. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, cover and stand in a draught-free place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Knock back dough, then leave to stand for another hour or until doubled in size..
2. Combine caster sugar and blackcurrants in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved and blackcurrants have softened. Remove from heat and refrigerate until required.
3. Meanwhile for ricotta filling, Place the ricotta, icing sugar, cream and vanilla in an electric mixer and beat until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until required.
4. Divide brioche dough into 30gm pieces and on a lightly floured work surface roll into balls. Place balls onto a lightly floured tray, cover and set aside until doubled in size.
5. Heat vegetable oil in a large deep saucepan, or deep fryer to 180C and line a large tray with paper towel. Carefully add brioche, in batches, to the hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown, then remove and drain on paper-lined tray. Continue until all doughnuts are cooked.
6. To serve, roll doughnuts in sugar, split and fill with ricotta and blackcurrants.
Ricotta
1. Heat milk in a large saucepan or stockpot over low heat until temperature reaches 85ºC.
2. Quickly stir in the vinegar and, using a slotted spoon, remove curds as they rise to the surface and transfer to a muslin lined colander set over a bowl. Leave to drain.
3. Place ricotta in an airtight container and refrigerate until required. It will keep well for 3-4 days in the fridge.
Note: Any quantity of milk can be used to make ricotta, it will just affect the quantity of ricotta made. If you would like a creamier ricotta you can add a little cream to the milk when heating. For this amount I would add 200ml of cream.