Alex Luck//Hearst Owned

Mini Chilli and Crab Doughnuts

If you can’t get fresh crab meat, tinned works, too, just drain it thoroughly. For a vegetarian version, swap the crab for mashed hard-boiled eggs.

By The Good Housekeeping Cookery TeamPublished: 01 December 2020

Jump to recipe

This is the perfect treat to serve your guests to prevent them getting too peckish before the main event! Try our mini doughnuts for the perfect canapé to satiate hunger on Christmas Day.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Yields:

Prep Time:

30 mins

Cook Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

50 mins

Cal/Serv:

143

Ingredients

For the doughnuts

100 ml
whole milk
25 g
unsalted butter
200 g
strong white flour
7g sachet fast action dried yeast
2 Tbsp.
caster sugar
1
medium egg
Vegetable oil, to grease and to deep-fry

For the filling

200 g
cooked white crab meat
75 g
mayonnaise
1
small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
Finely grated zest and juice ½ lemon
2 Tbsp.
finely chopped chives

Directions

1. Step 1 For the doughnuts, heat milk and butter in a small pan over low heat to melt butter. Cool until just warm.
2. Step 2 In the bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix flour, yeast, sugar, egg, cooled milk mixture and ½tsp fine salt. Knead on low-medium speed for 8-10min, until springy (the dough should be glossy and slightly sticky). Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm place for 1hr, until doubled in size.
3. Step 3Meanwhile, make the filling. Mix all the ingredients except the chives, together with plenty of seasoning. Cover and chill until needed.
4. Step 4Once dough has risen, grease a large baking sheet. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces, roll into balls and space apart on the greased sheet. Loosely cover with clingfilm and leave to rise again for 30min, until puffed.
5. Step 5Fill a large, heavy-based, deep pan with oil so that it’s 5cm deep. Heat oil to 160°C. Add 8 doughnuts at a time and cook for 2min per side, until golden and puffed. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to kitchen paper to drain. Cook remaining doughnuts, monitoring oil temperature.
6. Step 6When ready to serve, cut into the top of each doughnut, almost all the way down. Spoon in the crab filling and garnish with chives.

Get ahead

Cook doughnuts up to 4hr ahead. Cool, cover and store at room temperature, unfilled. Make filling up to 4hr ahead, cover and chill. To serve, reheat doughnuts in an oven preheated to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5 for 5min before completing recipe. Alternatively, make dough to end of step 2 a day ahead; knock back once risen, cover and chill overnight. Complete recipe to serve.