Mini Doughnuts with Orange Blossom Curd by Nielsen-Massey

Warm the milk in a pan until just before it reaches boiling point.

Place the yeast, warmed milk, 1 tbsp of the caster sugar and 1 ½ tbsp lukewarm water in a large bowl and set aside in a warm place for about 10 minutes, or until bubbles appear on the surface.

Add the butter, flour, eggs and the remaining sugar to the yeast mixture and mix to a sticky dough.  Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and it feels springy to the touch.

Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a cloth and set aside in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Meanwhile, make the orange curd.  Put all the ingredients in a bowl, stir together, and set over a pan of simmering water (the bowl must not touch the water).  Using a wooden spoon, stir for about 30 minutes, or until the curd is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Set aside to cool.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic.  Roll out to 1cm thick and use a 6.5cm round cutter to stamp out rounds until all the dough has been used.  Place the rounds on a lined baking tray and set aside for 30 minutes or until risen.

Heat the oil in a large pan until it reaches 190°C, or a cube of bread sizzles and turns golden in 30 seconds.  Fry the dough balls in batches for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown, turning halfway.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain onto kitchen paper.  Toss in sugar and leave to cool.

Spoon the orange curd into a piping bag with a small round nozzle (or snip the end of a disposable bag).  Use a wooden skewer to make a hole in the side of each doughnut.  Push the piping bag into the hole and fill with about a teaspoon of curd. Serve warm or cold with any leftover orange curd.