Looking for a delicious appetiser for this year’s Christmas lunch? Look no further than these handmade donuts with a crab filling. With a creamy texture with hints of spice and acidity from the mix of fresh red chillies and lemon, these doughnuts are sure to be a crowd favourite this summer. Pair with a Sangria Blanco for even more deliciousness.
Read on for the full recipe—part of our Home for Christmas recipe series, featuring holiday recipes and drink pairings perfect for family feasts.
Prep Time: 30 minutes + proofing time
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Makes: 26 doughnuts
Featured Appliance: KitchenAid Design Series Stand Mixer
Ingredients
Doughnuts
7g (1 sachet) dried yeast
175ml milk
1 egg
60g butter, at room temperature, coarsely chopped
340g plain flour
20g caster sugar
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
1 tsp crushed fennel seeds
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Crab filling
250g cooked crab meat
30g good-quality mayonnaise
30g crème fraîche
1 red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped or to taste
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp chives, finely sliced, plus extra to serve
Juice of ½ lemon
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon, plus extra rind to serve
Toasted black and white sesame, for scattering
Method for Crab Doughnuts with Lemon and Chilli
1. Whisk yeast and 30ml warm water in a bowl and set aside until mixture foams (5-6 minutes). Meanwhile, warm milk in a saucepan over medium heat until lukewarm, remove from heat and set aside.
2. Combine egg, butter, 1 tsp salt, yeast mixture, milk and half the flour, sugar, lemon rind and fennel seeds in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Knead on low speed to combine, add remaining flour and knead until a sticky dough forms (4-5 minutes), Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, dust top with a little flour, form into a ball, transfer to a buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap or damp tea towel and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size (1-1½ hours)
3. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and cut into 26 even pieces of dough (about 24g each). Roll on a lightly floured surface into small even balls. Transfer to a tray lined with baking paper, cover and set aside until doubled in size (45 minutes – 1 hour).
4. For crab filling, combine mayonnaise, crème fraîche, chilli, parsley, chives and lemon juice; season to taste. Fold through crab and refrigerate until required.
5. Heat oil in a large deep saucepan or frying pan to 180°C. Deep-fry doughnuts in batches, turning frequently until golden and cooked through (3-4 minutes; be careful hot oil will spit). Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a tray lined with baking paper.
6. When cool, cut a slit into the doughnut almost all the way through, spoon crab mixture into slit and repeat with remaining doughnuts and mixture. Scatter with remaining chives, lemon rind, and sesame seeds and serve. Best eaten within 2 hours of making.
Drink Pairing: Sangria Blanco
The savoury notes of this cocktail match perfectly with the sweetness of the crab doughnuts. The hint of chilli in the crab is sweetened by the grapes and peaches. A sophisticated cocktail that is easy to batch means less time standing behind the bar!
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
160ml pisco
250ml Lillet Blanc
250ml albariño (dry Spanish white wine)
40ml sugar syrup
3 bay leaves
100g green grapes, halved
1 Lebanese cucumber, shaved, to serve
2 white peaches, sliced, to serve
125ml lemon juice, to serve
Method for Sangria Blanco
1. In a jug, combine pisco, Lillet Blanc, wine, sugar syrup, bay leaves and grapes. Refrigerate for a couple of hours. To serve, add sliced peaches and cucumber to iced glasses, pour over mixture, top with lemon juice, and stir gently to combine.
Discover More Holiday Recipes in Our Home for Christmas Series
► Spiced Pomegranate and Orange Ham with Sides