Custard doughnuts with ricotta, blackberries and pistachios
These custard-filled doughnuts are served with sweet ricotta, pomegranate and blackberries for a dessert showstopper.
Ingredients
For the doughnuts
- 150ml/5fl oz full-fat milk
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú butter
- 200g/7oz self-raising flour
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú caster sugar, plus 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú for dusting
- 2 free-range eggs
- vegetable oil, for deep frying
For the filling
- ½ vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped
- 1 orange, zest only
- 400g tin custard
To serve
- 250g/9oz ricotta
- 1 tsp icing sugar
- 1 tbsp pistachio slivers
- 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds
- 4 blackberries, cut in half
- small basil sprigs
- 1 tsp pomegranate molasses
Method
To make the doughnuts, warm the milk in a saucepan over a low heat and add the butter. Cook until melted. Stir in the flour and sugar and beat until a thick batter is formed. Remove from the heat and beat in the eggs. Leave to cool for 1 hour.
To make the filling, mix the vanilla seeds and orange zest into the custard.
Fill a deep-fat fryer or a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pan two-thirds full with the oil. Heat to 180C (a cube of bread should turn brown in one minute when dropped in.) CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended. Spoon balls of the doughnut batter into the fryer and cook for a few minutes until golden. Transfer to kitchen paper and dust with caster sugar. Leave to cool.
Use a small, sharp knife to make a cut in the side of the doughnut, cutting through to the centre. Spoon the filling into a piping bag or piping syringe. Pipe, or syringe, the filling generously inside.
Mix the ricotta and icing sugar and spread onto a serving platter. Top with the doughnuts and garnish with the pistachios, pomegranate seeds, blackberries and basil. Drizzle with the pomegranate molasses and serve.