Doughnuts & Velvety Hot Chocolate
Soft, golden doughnuts dusted with icing sugar, dunked into and intensely rich and velvety hot chocolate. What a treat.
These are a traditional Spanish dessert served in winter. They’re made slightly differently across the country, some places even include pumpkin in the batter! In this recipe, the doughnuts are practically instant, so you don’t have to sit around waiting for them to proof as you would a yeasted dough.
The hot chocolate is similar to what you’d find across Spain and Italy, thickened with corn flour and enriched with dark chocolate, making it almost custard-like.
They’re so perfect for sharing (or not, if that’s the way you roll) and make for an excellent cold & dark winter pick me up.
Notes:
Hot Chocolate- I like to serve the hot chocolate in small teacups or slightly large espresso cups. It’s just the right amount for dipping, with a little leftover for drinking, without it becoming overwhelming!
Order of cooking- You can make the batter slightly ahead of time, and set it aside whilst you make the hot chocolate, then fry the doughnuts if that’s easier for you (this is optional)
To make Vegan - Use a non-dairy yoghurt instead & replace the egg with 50g more of the yoghurt. Make the hot chocolate with a non-dairy milk alternative.
Serves: 4/ Time: 1 Hour
Ingredients
Doughnuts
200g Plain Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tbsp Granulated Sugar
¼ tsp Salt
160g Plain Yoghurt
1 Egg
Icing Sugar (for dusting)
Hot Chocolate
400ml Milk of choice (I used whole)
50g Dark Chocolate (I used 70%)
2 tbsp/15g Cocoa Powder
1tbsp/10g Cornflour
3 tbsp/45g Granulated Sugar
¼ tsp Salt
Cinnamon (optional-for sprinkling)
Doughnuts-Method
Add the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt to a mixing bowl & given them a quick stir
Add in the yoghurt & egg, and mix all the ingredients together using a wooden spoon
The mixture will seem a little dry, but mix until all the flour has combined & it becomes a cohesive mixture
Set it aside to rest whilst you heat the oil (the flour will hydrate and loosen a little as it sits)
Heat about 2 inches of neutral frying oil, like sunflower oil, in a heavy bottomed pot on a medium heat
Test if the oil is hot enough but placing the end of a wooden spoon in it, if small bubbles form around it at the surface of the oil, it’s time to fry
Using a measuring tablespoon, or a utensil of a similar size, take a dollop of the batter, and with a wet finger (just dip into cold water), slide the batter in to the oil from a slight distance as not to burn yourself
Repeat this with about ⅓-½ the batter (dependant on the size of your pot)
After a few seconds, they’ll float to the top, after 2 minutes of cooking, give them a little nudge with a wooden spoon/slotted spoon to turn them over
After a further 2 minutes (4 minutes in total), they should be a deep golden brown
Remove from the oil, and place on a kitchen towel lined plate
Repeat the process with the remaining batter
Once they have all cooked, place on a serving plate and sprinkle with icing sugar & set aside whilst making the Hot Chocolate
Hot Chocolate-Method
To a small bowl, add the cocoa powder, cornflour, sugar and salt
Chop the chocolate, and set it aside
Add the milk to a pot, and add in the cocoa mixture
On a medium heat, heat the milk and cocoa mixture, and stir continuously, this will ensure there are no lumps
About 5 mins in add the chopped chocolate and continue to stir
You’ll know it’s ready when it begins to thicken and start to expand slightly (about 8-10 mins in)
When it has thickened and is the texture of a thin custard (it should coat the back of a spoon), take it of the heat
Serve in small cups, and sprinkle with a little cinnamon, and serve alongside the doughnuts.
Enjoy!
