Isle of Wight Doughnuts
Golden, yeast-raised Isle of Wight doughnuts filled with spiced currants, brown sugar, and lard, then fried until crisp and tossed in sugar.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 365 kcal
Equipment
- •large mixing bowl
- •deep heavy-based saucepan
- •digital cooking thermometer
- •slotted spoon
- •wire rack
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 365 kcal
- fat
- 18 g
- carbs
- 46 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 6 g
- calories
- 365 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Mix the flour, dried yeast, caster sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- 2
Pour in the warm milk, beaten egg, and softened butter, then stir into a soft dough.
- 3
Knead on a lightly floured worktop for 8 minutes until the dough feels smooth and springy.
- 4
Cover the bowl with greaseproof paper and leave in a warm spot for 1 hour until doubled.
- 5
Combine the currants, brown sugar, mixed spice, and diced chilled lard in a small bowl for the filling.
- 6
Knock back (punch down to release gas) the risen dough and divide into 8 equal balls.
- 7
Flatten each ball into a neat circle, place a spoonful of spiced filling in the centre, and pinch tightly to seal.
- 8
Place the balls seam-side down on greaseproof paper and leave to rise for 20 minutes.
- 9
Heat the frying lard or oil in a deep heavy-based pan to 170°C on your hob.
- 10
Fry two or three doughnuts at a time for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deep golden brown.
- 11
Lift out with a slotted spoon, drain briefly on kitchen paper, and roll immediately in extra caster sugar.
- 12
Cool slightly on a wire rack and serve warm.
Chef's tips
Pinch the dough seams very firmly before frying so the melting spiced lard filling cannot leak into the hot fat. Maintain the oil temperature close to 170°C to ensure the dough cooks completely through without burning on the outside.
Ingredient substitutions
- lard (for filling) → cold diced unsalted butter
- lard (for frying) → sunflower oil or vegetable oil
- currants → sultanas or chopped raisins
Storage
Keep leftover doughnuts in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Reheating
Warm gently in a moderate fan oven at 160°C for 5 minutes to restore their crisp exterior.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Frying in oil that is too hot, which burns the crust while leaving the dough centre raw.
- •Failing to seal the dough edges securely, causing the sugary fruit filling to burst out during frying.
- •Adding hot milk instead of lukewarm milk, which kills the active yeast.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Isle of Wight Doughnuts?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
More from South East England
Cooking that shares the same kitchen and pantry.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
