Recipe: Gordon Ramsay’s chocolate donuts

Making donuts is actually not difficult at all, especially if you decide to simply forget about that hole in the middle. This is all about the dough and the filling, and homemade tastes better than many a factory-made donut!

Gordon Ramsay demonstrates it in one of his videos, where he once again comes across as surprisingly peaceful. You do need a little patience while the dough rises, but otherwise this is very doable!

How to make Gordon Ramsay’s chocolate donuts (12)

• Heat the milk and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until warm but not boiling over.
• Crumble the yeast into a bowl.
• Pour half of the warm milk over the yeast and whisk together. Set aside for a moment.
• Return the pan with the milk to low heat and add the butter.
• Heat for about 3 minutes without allowing it to boil.
• Sift the flour into a large bowl, stir in the salt, and make a crater in the middle.
• Add the egg yolks, the yeast/milk mixture and the milk with butter.
• Mix with your hand, gradually bringing some of the loose flour from the sides into the middle.
• Use this to form a dough.
• Dust your hands and a large board or work surface with flour and transfer the dough onto it.
• Knead the dough with your hands, alternating sides, until you have an elastic dough. If it is too sticky, add a small amount of flour.
• Take a clean bowl and lightly dust the inside with flour as well.
• Put the dough in it, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours, until it has doubled in volume.
• Meanwhile, make the filling, but only towards the end of the rising time, because you want the chocolate filling to still be warm later.
• Put the cream in a small saucepan, whisk in the honey and bring just to the boil.
• Put the chocolate and butter in a bowl.
• Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until everything has melted and you have a smooth, glossy ganache.
• When the dough has risen, punch it down once with your fist.
• Place it back on a floured work surface and knead lightly for a moment.
• Roll it out with a rolling pin until it is about 2 cm thick and shape it into a rectangle as well as possible.
• Take a sharp knife and cut the dough into 12 equal rectangular pillows.
• Line a baking sheet with baking paper and place the pillows on it.
• Leave to rise again for 30–40 minutes.
• Mix the 2 tbsp sugar with the 2 tbsp Ovomaltine in a small bowl.
• Pour the oil into a pan suitable for deep-frying and heat to 170° C.
• You can also test the temperature by putting a small piece of bread into the hot oil and checking whether it turns golden brown within 30 seconds.
• Fry the donuts in batches for about 3–4 minutes, until evenly golden brown and cooked through.
• Adjust the temperature as needed. Remove the donuts from the oil with a slotted spoon, roll them in the sugar/Ovomaltine mixture and place them on a plate.
• Fill a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle with the warm chocolate ganache.
• Carefully pierce a small hole in the donut with the nozzle and slowly squeeze in the filling.
• Serve immediately.

Here’s Gordon demonstrating it:

Also read:

• How to make Gordon Ramsay’s classic cheeseburger
• Gordon Ramsay’s 10 tips for the best steak
• How to make Gordon Ramsay’s Eggs Benedict

Image and recipe: YouTube/Gordon Ramsay