Boil the kettle with water and set aside until it has cooled. Cream your yeast with 40 ml and a tablespoon of sugar. Set aside.
Whisk the eggs lightly. Add the vanilla flavour and whisk again.
Sift the flour into a large bowl,(or stand mixer bowl) stir in the remaining sugar and the salt. Add the yeast mixture and the egg. Then zest in half a lemon.
Bring the mixture together until it forms a dough. The dough will be quite wet please don't panic. 😍
You can also use the stand mixer to create this dough. You will need to use the dough hook and keep the speed on number one.
Dust the workbench with flour. Turn out the dough onto the floured surface.
Knead the dough by pushing it against the table and stretching it the dough will be kneaded sufficiently when it stretches about an arms length off the workbench.
Now you can add the butter into your dough while you knead. Add a small quantity at a time and once it has been incorporated add the next piece until there is no more butter remaining.
Get your weighing scale and divide your dough up into 30 g pieces.If your dough is too soft to do this then you can add an additional sprinkle of flour to help. Flour your hands and then shape each individual doughnut by rolling it in your palms. If your doughnut ball has creases over the surface then pull the dough down so that the top is smooth.
Place all the doughnut balls onto a baking sheet with baking paper on it and cover with clingfilm and place into the fridge. You will now leave these in the fridge overnight to prove and develop flavour. The butter will also firm up making them easier to cook.
The next day. Switch on the deep fat fat fryer on 170°C. Allow to heat up.
Once the oil is at the correct temperature, add 1 to 2 balls of dough into the hot oil.
Once the doughnut has browned on one side flip it over using a spatula or some chopsticks to cook the other side. Once both sides are cooked remove the doughnut and place on a plate to cool slightly.
Place the slightly cool doughnuts into the caster sugar (and cinnamon ) and roll them around until they are liberally coated with the sugar.
Allow the doughnuts to cool fully. Take a skewer or chop stick and poke a hole through the middle of the doughnut.
Fill a piping bag with your homemade strawberry jam and pipe the jam into the centre of the doughnut. Wipe up any jam that may ooze out
Now you can enjoy your plate of doughnuts with your friends or all by yourself😈.