With crispy pastry and a zesty filling, you’ll keep coming back for more of these chouxnuts.
Invented by Paul Hollywood these sweet treats have all the crisp of a choux pastry and all the ooze of a doughnut.
Described as “a perfect combination of crisp pastry and tangy citrus flavours”, Paul Hollywood explains the name behind his creation is to do with the marriage of two products.
He said: “A hybrid between choux pastry and a doughnut, these are deep-fried like a doughnut then filled with lemon curd and whipped cream and glazed with a lemony icing.”
Why not try making these at home with the family as a delicious dessert after a tasty lunch?
Chouxnuts
Makes 8
Ingredients
For the choux pastry:
- 150ml water
- 60g butter
- 60g plain flour
- 60g strong white bread flour
- 3 large eggs
To cook:
- Sunflower oil, for deep-frying
For the lemon curd filling:
- Finely grated zest and juice of 4 lemons
- 190g caster sugar
- 100g butter, at room temperature, in pieces
- 3 medium eggs
- 1 extra egg yolk
- 100ml double cream, whipped
For the icing:
- 100g icing sugar, sifted
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- About 25ml water
Method
- Make the lemon curd filling. Put the lemon zest and juice, sugar and butter into a heavy-based pan over a low heat and stir until the butter is melted then take off the heat. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and extra yolk then whisk into the lemon mixture. Place the pan back over a low heat and stir well for 10-15 minutes until thickened. Pass the lemon curd through a sieve into a clean bowl and allow to cool, before folding in the whipped cream.
- To make the choux, put the water and butter into a medium pan over a medium heat. Once the butter is melted, turn up the heat and bring to the boil, then take off the heat. Immediately add both flours and beat well to incorporate into the liquid. Continue to beat until the mixture forms a ball that pulls away from the side of the pan. Leave to cool for five minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to an electric mixer with a paddle beater. With the mixer on low, slowly add the beaten eggs. Once done, increase the speed to medium and beat until glossy and thick. The mixture should just about hold on the end of a spoon and feel silky.
- Cut eight 12cm squares of baking paper. Put the choux pastry into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm star nozzle and pipe a ring, 10cm in diameter, on each square.
- Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or other deep, heavy pan over a medium heat to 180C/160C Fan/350F/Gas Mark 4. Deep-fry the choux rings, two or three at a time: carefully lower into the oil, paper uppermost, then remove the paper with tongs. Deep-fry the rings for three to four minutes. Drain and place on a wire rack. Cut a small hole in the side of each ring to let steam out and leave to cool.
- Once cooled, make the hole in the side of each ring larger so you can insert a small piping nozzle. Put the lemon curd filling into a piping bag fitted with a 5mm plain nozzle and pipe into the rings to fill.
- For the icing, mix the icing sugar with the lemon zest and enough water to make a glossy icing with a thick, pourable consistency. Brush over the top of each chouxnut to coat. Enjoy!
My Best Ever Recipes For The Classics by Paul Hollywood is published by Bloomsbury Publishing, priced £26.