Toffee apple doughnuts
, Updated May 21, 2025
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This was very nearly the blogpost that never was. And here’s a very valuable piece of advise from me to you. Never go to Ikea on a Sunday morning, especially if you are hormonal and suffering from after effects of a migraine with two excitable young kids in tow. Ugh!
It was NOT a good trip. By the time we returned home I realised that I had very little time to make doughnuts which was my #GBBO Bake Along recipe this week. And to top it all, the living room/kitchen was a total tip, I had a friend coming over and the fryer was in storage.
But despite all that I persevered and employed Nancy’s microwaving technique to speed up my proving. Desperate times call for desperate measures and the doughnuts were made despite all obstacles. The fast-track proving method DID work – the Male Judge would most likely disapprove!
As an aside I am impressed with how many of you attempted the Povitica. Lots of wonderful examples linked below – check them out! I had that recipe pinned for a couple of years on my Pinterest boards so I wasn’t surprised when it made its debut (twice!) on the show – well done Chetna for researching obscure recipes. Although I guess it was inevitable, I am sad to see young Martha leave the show but she did so well for so long at such a young age. Now we are nearly at the end I wonder if we will have a male winner to repeat the male/female alternating pattern of past four years.As for the doughnuts? These babies were very tasty – although I think a slow rise would give better results. Instead of apple compote you could fill with apple curd and whipped cream and glaze them with salted caramel.
Butterscotch sauce
60g | 4 tbsp unsalted butter
100g | 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
150ml | 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp double cream
Method
- Put the butter in a small pot and melt over low heat.
- Tip all the sugar in and stir for 5 minutes until the sugar melts.
- Add the cream and stir over medium-low heat for another 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
- Pour the sauce into a measuring jug and cool slightly. This can be made in advance and reheated until runny if it sets.
Apple compote
5 large apples, peeled, cored and cubed
4 tbsp sugar (more if the apples are very tart)
3 tbsp water
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Large pinch mixed spice or cinnamon
Method
- Put all in the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook until the apples are soft.
- Purée in the Magimix until smooth. Cool before using.
For the doughnuts
315g | 2 1/2 cups plain flour
1 packet active dry yeast
50g | 4 tbsp (caster) sugar
200ml | 6.8fl oz milk
30g | 2 tbsp vegetable shortening (such as Trex)
1 large egg
1 tsbp glycerine or corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp vanilla extract (or paste)
An additional 45g | 1/2 cup flour plus more for rolling (if needed)
Enough oil to fill a deep sided pan just under half way up
Chopped almonds or nuts of your choice (optional)
Ground cinnamon to dust
1 packet active dry yeast
50g | 4 tbsp (caster) sugar
200ml | 6.8fl oz milk
30g | 2 tbsp vegetable shortening (such as Trex)
1 large egg
1 tsbp glycerine or corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp vanilla extract (or paste)
An additional 45g | 1/2 cup flour plus more for rolling (if needed)
Enough oil to fill a deep sided pan just under half way up
Chopped almonds or nuts of your choice (optional)
Ground cinnamon to dust
Method
- Put the milk, vanilla extract, glycerine and shortening in a bowl and microwave for about 20-30 seconds until milk is just warm.
- Put the flour, the sugar, salt, yeast and spice in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Start mixing the ingredients on low speed.
- Slowly add the milk mixture and continue to mix until the liquid is mixed in with the flour.
- If the dough is very sticky then add the remaining flour a little at a time whilst mixing on low speed . Once all the flour is incorporated continue to mix for 5-8 minutes or until the dough passes the windowpane test.
- Put the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and let it rise until double – 1 -1 1/2 hours. If you are pressed for time, microwave on lowest possible heat setting for 10 seconds at a time. Repeat until the dough is almost doubled. This will cut down the proving time but a slow rise is more reliable and creates better tasting doughnuts.
- Flour your worktop and tip the dough on it. Gently knock it back and then roll it out until it is 1cm (1/2 inch) thick.
- Use a 6-7cm (2 1/2-3in) round cutter to cut out rounds, gathering the scraps and re-rolling until all the dough is used. Either let these rise at room temperature until fluffy and puffed up (about 40m-1h) or repeat the microwave method as above.
- Heat the oil in a large, deep-sided frying pan. You only need to If you have a candy thermometer clip it on. The oil is ready when it reaches 180C | 350F. (To check if the oil is ready without the use of the thermometer drop a small cube of bread in it. It should brown within a minute.) If you have a fryer use it – it makes life much easier.
- Lower the doughnuts into the oil using a spatula 2-4 at a time. Fry until golden – about 1–1 1/2 minutes on each side.
- Drain on kitchen towels and cool before filling and glazing.
- Pierce the sides of the doughnuts with a chopstick and then fill with the compote (using a syringe or piping bag) until it starts oozing out.
- Drizzle the sauce over the doughnuts and top with a few chopped nuts (I used almonds). Sprinkle with a little cinnamon and serve. Eat them while they are fresh!
Wow these look so delicious! x
i love doughnuts. these look delicious!
These look gorgeous and delicious! Get in my belly!
Words cannot express how badly I am craving one of these delicious dougnuts right now.. that toffee apple filling has got me going crazy here! Great recipe, it's definitely one that I must try!
Looks gorgeous, bet tastes so too! The recipe seems a bit complicated, what to do without the magimix?
Hi Niaomi
You can make the dougnhut dough by hand. Mix it in a bowl first then knead until elastic Рabout 10 minutes. The apple pur̩e is best made in the Magimix although you can mash it with a fork and pass through a sieve if necessary.
goodness gracious i almost licked the screen! how amazing do they look and sound? yum x
Gosh, these doughnuts look so luscious! I've just fallen in love with them…so cute and perfect! Plus you have such a great collection of plates. ^_^
xoxo
Thanks Gemma. I don't think you can resist doughnuts. It's just not humanly possible especially when freshly made. The plates were an impulse purchase at the Covent Garden vintage market. £1 each!
I've always been a traditionalist with doughnuts, enjoying the creations of Krispy Kreme but sticking to a favourite of jam filled and sugar dusted. However, after seeing the first picture of these on Facebook I think I might have changed my mind. They look so perfect!
I made toffee apple doughnuts too! I made them on Sunday morning, fully refreshed with no children and I found it pretty tricky so yours are even more impressive for being made post-Ikea 🙂 BTW any tips on taking beautiful food photos?
Hi Rosie – make sure you link yours to #CookBlogShare or this post if you have blogged the recipe! I keep meaning to write a photo post and I will my work ever settles down. But I have to say having a good camera is more than half the battle!
Oh heavens these look amazing! I want… now! 🙂