Baked doughnuts with cardamom & apricot

Instructions

1. 1

   Tip the cardamom into a large bowl with the flour and butter. Rub together until no diced butter is visible. Stir in the salt, yeast, 75g sugar, the vanilla and milk. Using a round bladed knife, mix the ingredients to a soft but not sticky dough. Add a dash more milk if the mixture is dry and crumbly.

2. 2

   Tip the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. (Or knead in a freestanding mixer with dough hook attachment for 5 minutes). Transfer to a lightly oiled large bowl, cover with a clean damp tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour 30 minutes.

3. 3

   Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface, pat into a ball, then cut into 16 even-sized wedges. Shape each into a ball and space apart on the baking sheets. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place until again doubled in size. While proving, preheat the oven to 190ºC, gas mark 5.

4. 4

   Bake the doughnuts for 10-12 minutes until risen and pale golden. While baking, combine the remaining caster sugar with the cinnamon on a plate, ready for rolling. Beat the icing sugar in a small bowl with 1 tbsp cold water to make a thin glaze. Put the conserve in the piping bag and snip off 1cm from the tip (or use the reusable bag and nozzle).

5. 5

   When cool enough to handle, push a hole through to the centre of each doughnut with the handle end of a teaspoon. Squeeze a little conserve from the bag into the centre of each doughnut. Using a pastry brush, brush the doughnuts with the glaze and roll them in the cinnamon sugar.