How to make Isle of Wight doughnuts, the spiced plum treat unique to this corner of Britain

Delicious dough, with the taste and texture of a spicy brown bread, and a rich, plummy filling — those are the key attributes of the Isle of Wight Doughnut, according to James Rayner. James is an author who grew up on the Isle of Wight and who published Historic Isle of Wight Food earlier this year.

He explains in the book how the doughnut evolved spontaneously on the Isle of Wight:

James goes on to explain how the doughnuts were originally called birds' nests ('a name which came about from their appearance when cut in half with the cluster of plums in the middle') and how they were once well-known across Britain.

He also tackle the question of why plums became the filling of choice. The answer is to do with the fruit that grew naturally across the 150 square mile island during the 19th century, as James explains in his book:

Naturally, James also shares a recipe in his book for how to make Isle of Wight Doughnuts yourself, based on an original 1845 recipe. You can order his book online for £9.99 for this and more recipes from the island.

Recipe: Isle of Wight Doughnuts

Ingredients

Makes 10

• 300g strong white bread flour
• 150-175ml whole milk
• 50g unsalted butter, cubed
• 50g fine brown sugar or light muscovado, sieved
• 7g sachet of instant yeast
• 2 tsp allspice
• 1⁄4 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of ground cloves
• pinch of ground mace
• 1⁄2 tsp salt
• Vegetable oil for deep frying
• Small wild plums or piped plum jam, for the filling

Method

1. Sift the flour and spices into a bowl, adding the salt and sugar on one side of the mixture and the yeast on the other. Add the softened butter and 120ml of the milk then combine by hand. Gradually add as much of the remaining milk as you need until the dough is soft and slightly tacky.
2. Knead the dough on a flour dusted surface until smooth and no longer sticky. Oil the bowl, return the dough to it and cover, leaving it somewhere warm to rise until it has doubled in size.
3. Line two metal baking trays with baking parchment. Place the dough back on a floured work surface and fold inwards until the air is knocked out and the dough is smooth. Divide into ten pieces and roll into balls.
4. Make a hole in each ball of dough with the thumb and push or pipe a little of the filling inside. Stretch the dough over the hole to close it, pinching and twisting the join to seal it. Once filled, place the balls on the baking trays and cover for 45 minutes to double in size. They should ultimately be about the size of a cricket ball.
5. Deep fry the balls, a few at a time for around seven minutes, until cooked through and a fine brown in colour. Turn them over half way through to ensure even colouring
6. Remove the doughnuts from the pan with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and leave to cool.

Recipe and image from James Rayner, author of the new book ‘Historic Isle of Wight Food’, available online from wightoriginals.com and from retailers across the Isle of Wight. 

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