- 250g/9oz strong white flour
- 25g/1oz caster sugar, plus 75g/2½oz for dusting
- pinch salt
- 25g/1oz butter, softened
- 14g/½oz fast-action dried yeast
- oil, for deep frying
- 75g/2½oz caster sugar
- 2 tbsp brandy
- 1 orange, juice only
- ½ x 400g/12oz tin sliced peaches, drained
- 25g/1oz flaked almonds
- 25g/1oz pistachio nuts
- 100g/3½oz raspberries
- 500g/1lb 2oz vanilla ice cream
- For the doughnuts, place the flour, sugar, salt and butter into a bowl. Put the yeast into a jug and mix with 150ml/5fl oz of water until smooth, then pour into the flour mixture.
- Mix well, then knead until a smooth dough is formed.
- Set aside in a bowl, cover and rest for an hour until doubled in size.
- When the dough has proved, heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 150C/300F. Alternatively, heat the oil in a deep, heavy-based saucepan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
- Take golfball-sized pieces of the dough and roll into balls.
- Carefully lower the dough balls into the hot oil in batches and deep fry for 3-4 minutes, or until golden-brown. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper.
- Roll in the reserved sugar.
- For the sauce, heat a frying pan until hot, add the caster sugar and heat until it forms a caramel, swirling occasionally to combine the sugar with the melted sugar.
- Add the brandy and flambé by setting light to the mixture. Let the flames flare up then die down. (CAUTION: make sure there are no flammable materials above the pan when flaming.) Add the orange juice and swirl to combine.
- Add the tinned peaches, flaked almonds, pistachio nuts and raspberries and heat through for two minutes only – you don’t want to let the raspberries break down.
- To serve, place two scoops of ice cream in each of four bowls, add a few doughnuts then pour the sauce over the top.