Rhubarb & Honey Mascarpone Custard Doughnuts

Undoubtably, doughnuts are my weakness. I can’t resist a fresh, soft doughnut. I love the way everything seems to get a showering of sugar as it rustles off between bites. Along with the fact that doughnuts are one of my favourite baked goods, add rhubarb to the mix and these couldn’t be more perfect. I’ve filled them filled to the brim with a tangy compote and the most luscious mascarpone custard filling. A real treat.

Ingredients - makes 15 doughnuts
Brioche dough: dough recipe originally from The Boy Who Bakes (minus the lemon)
180g plain flour
180g strong white flour
20g caster sugar
1 tsp salt
7g fast action dried yeast
85ml whole milk
3 eggs
zest of 1 lemon
150g unsalted butter, room temperature
caster sugar, for rolling the doughnuts
vegetable oil, for frying

Rhubarb compote:
175g forced rhubarb, roughly chopped
25g frozen raspberries
40g caster sugar
squeeze of lemon juice

Mascarpone Custard:
180ml double cream
180ml whole milk
1 tsp vanilla paste
pinch of salt
4 medium egg yolks
2 tsp cornflour
10g caster sugar
40g honey (1)
250g mascarpone
15g honey (2)

Method
The day before
For the doughnut dough:
Place the flours, sugar, salt, yeast, milk, eggs and lemon into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on medium speed for 5-10 minutes until you have a smooth dough. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add in the butter in small pieces making sure the butter is incorporated before adding in more. Once all the butter has been added, increase the speed to medium-high and knead for 10 minutes until elastic and smooth. Leave to prove at room temperature for 30 minutes-1 hour or until doubled in size. Knock back the brioche and place into an oiled container, cover and leave to rest in the fridge overnight.

For the rhubarb compote:
Place all the ingredients into a pan over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb has softened into a thick compote. Pour into a container, cover and chill overnight.

For the custard:
Place the double cream, milk, vanilla paste and honey (1) into a saucepan over low heat. Mix the cornflour and sugar together before pouring over the egg yolks. Whisk the egg yolks together with the dry ingredients until well combined. Don’t let the sugar sit on the eggs or it will ‘burn’ them, causing them to form a skin and go clumpy.

Once the milk is just about simmering, pour a third of it over the yolks while whisking. Pour this back into the rest of the hot milk and whisk together. Place the custard over low heat, stirring continuously until it starts to bubble. Once it starts bubbling, whisk it for approx. 30 seconds-1 minute until it coats the back of a spoon and the cornflour has cooked out. Pour into a container, place clingfilm on the surface and refrigerate until completely cold.

The next day:
Cut out 15 square pieces of parchment approx. 5x5inches. Take the doughnut dough out of the fridge. Punch the dough down and tip it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 50g pieces and roll them into balls. Place each ball onto a square of parchment and arrange on baking trays. Loosely cover the balls with clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
When your doughnuts are nearly ready to fry, fill a large saucepan halfway full with oil and place over medium heat. It should be at least a couple of inches deep. Prepare a baking tray lined with kitchen towel for the doughnuts once they’re fried. Once your oil reaches 175°C, pick the proved doughnuts up by the corners of the paper and carefully lower them into the oil. Please be careful here as the oil is very hot. Fry as many doughnuts as fits comfortably in your pan, I usually go for 3 or 4. Remove the baking paper after 30 seconds with some tongs. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Lift the doughnuts out of the oil with a slotted spoon and leave to drain on the kitchen towel. Continue until all of the doughnuts are fried, making sure the temperature stays at 175°C.

Once your doughnuts have cooled enough to handle, fill a shallow bowl with caster sugar. Roll the doughnuts in the sugar, covering them completely. Set aside until needed.

To finish the custard, beat the mascarpone in the bowl of a stand mixer to loosen. Add in the honey (2) and a third of the custard. Whisk together before adding in the rest of the custard and whisking until you have a luscious soft cream. Place the cream into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle. Take the rhubarb compote from the fridge and put it into another piping bag.

When you’re ready to fill the doughnuts, take a sharp pairing knife and make a hole in the side of each doughnut. Give the knife a little wiggle inside the doughnut to make a little pocket for the filling. Fill the doughnut with a bit of the custard, followed by the rhubarb compote. Finish by piping a bulb of custard on top and a little more of the compote. Doughnuts aren’t a baked good that you can make in advance. They must be eaten on the day they’re made!