Hotteok salted caramel doughnuts

These were inspired by the hotteok I ate when I visited Korea. 

Ingredients

Doughnuts

• 550 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 50 g caster sugar
• 165 ml milk
• 2 large eggs
• 50 g butter, softened
• 2 tsp dried yeast

Peanut filling

• 120 g toasted peanuts, finely chopped
• 120 g dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 75 g sunflower seeds

Salted caramel glaze

• 75 g butter
• 110 g soft dark brown sugar
• 75 ml double cream
• generous pinch Maldon sea salt, or to taste
• 85 g icing sugar
• 2 L vegetable oil for frying

Resting time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Instructions

1. To make the doughnuts, place the flour and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Add milk, eggs, softened butter and yeast to the bowl together with 175 ml of water and, using your hands or a wooden spoon, combine the ingredients until you have a dough.

2. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a smooth ball and place it back in the bowl. Cover with cling film and leave in a warm, dark place to rise for about 45 minutes, until the dough has doubled in size.

3. To make the peanut filling, set aside 2 tablespoons of chopped peanuts. Mix together the remaining peanut filling ingredients and set aside.

4. Once the dough has risen knock back and tip out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out to 1.5cm thick. Cut out 18 circles using an 8cm round cookie cutter.

5. Press each of the circles in the middle to make a well. Place one heaped tablespoon of the peanut filling into each well. Pinch the dough around the filling to seal. Place the filled doughnut pinched side down onto a lightly floured tray, cover with a damp cloth or cling film and allow to prove for a further 30 minutes.

6. To make the salted caramel glaze, place the butter, dark brown sugar, double cream and a generous pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Gently heat and as soon as the butter and sugar have melted and the mixture comes to a simmer, whisk in the icing sugar. Set aside and allow to cool.

7. Heat the vegetable oil to 170°C. Cook the doughnuts for around 45 seconds to 1 minute on each side or until golden and puffed. Remove from the oil and then place on kitchen paper to remove the excess and transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool.

8. Making sure the glaze is warm, dip one side of each doughnut into the salted caramel glaze. Hold upside down, to remove any excess glaze. Turn right side up and sprinkle with a little of the reserved chopped peanut.

This recipe is from Donal's Asian Baking Adventure on SBS Food (Channel 33). Stream episodes via SBS On Demand.

These were inspired by the hotteok I ate when I visited Korea.