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Chiltern Firehouse’s crab doughnuts

Name: Chiltern Firehouse’s crab doughnuts
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: strong white flour 540g; golden caster sugar 70g; sea salt 2 tsp; instant yeast 1 tsp; eggs 4; lemons 3, zested; butter 130g, thinly sliced; oil for frying; tomatoes 4; garlic 1 clove, chopped; shallot 1, chopped; red chilli ¼, seeded and chopped; sherry vinegar 2 tsp; fish sauce 2 tsp; white crab meat 200g; tomato base 40ml (see above); 30g; basil a small handful, finely shredded; lemon 1, juiced

1 hour + proving and straining
makes 20
A little effort

London's The Chiltern Firehouse's crab doughnuts are a treat to make at home. If you've never tried a savoury doughnut before this is the recipe to try.

Published: December 19, 2014 at 2:33 pm

Try these crab doughnuts from Chiltern Firehouse, then check out more sweet and savoury doughnut recipes, including our lokma doughnuts with chicken liver parfait, jam doughnuts and mini doughnuts.

Ingredients

strong white flour 540g
golden caster sugar 70g
sea salt 2 tsp
instant yeast 1 tsp
eggs 4
lemons 3, zested
butter 130g, thinly sliced
oil for frying

tomato base

tomatoes 4
garlic 1 clove, chopped
shallot 1, chopped
red chilli ¼, seeded and chopped
sherry vinegar 2 tsp
fish sauce 2 tsp

crab mix

white crab meat 200g
tomato base 40ml (see above)
crème fraîche 30g
basil a small handful, finely shredded
lemon 1, juiced

Method

Step 1

Using an electric mixer fitted with the hook attachment, mix the flour, sugar, salt and yeast on a slow speed. In a separate bowl, mix 140ml water, the eggs and lemon zest.
Step 2

Slowly add the liquids to the flour mix, still mixing on a slow speed, until a dough forms. Increase the speed and knead for 10-12 minutes, or until the dough detaches from the sides of the bowl and looks smooth and elastic.
Step 3

Reduce the speed to slow and add the butter, a slice at a time. Once all the butter has been incorporated, increase the speed and knead for a further 5-6 minutes until the dough looks smooth. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and put in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Step 4

For the tomato base, cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze out the seeds. Grate the flesh of the tomatoes on a box grater, discarding the skins.
Step 5

Put the grated tomato flesh in a food processor with the garlic, shallot, chilli, vinegar and fish sauce. Blend until smooth, season with salt, then transfer the mix to a muslin cloth and leave to hang over a bowl for 2 hours.
Step 6

Roll out the doughnut dough on a lightly floured surface until 2cm thick and cut out 5cm circles. Roll each into a ball and put on a well-oiled baking sheet.
Step 7

Fill a deep saucepan halfway with oil and, over a medium heat, bring the oil to 175C. Deep-fry the doughnuts, 4 at a time, basting them constantly with the oil until golden brown (around 4-5 minutes). Drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
Step 8

Combine all the ingredients for the crab, mix well and season. Make a slice in the doughnuts, not going all the way through, and fill with the crab mixture. Sprinkle with a few sea salt flakes to serve.