- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1½ tablespoons lukewarm water
- 125ml (½ cup) lukewarm milk (or milk alternative)
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- 50g (3 ½ tablespoons) butter (or non-hydrogenated margarine), melted
- 300g (2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 25g (¼ cup) cocoa powder
- 2 eggs
- vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- Halva Glaze
- 15g (1 tablespoon) butter
- 60ml (¼ cup) milk
- 60ml (¼ cup) tahini paste
- 125-250g (1-2 cups) powdered sugar
- 100g halva crumbled for decoration
In a large bowl place the yeast, water, milk and a pinch of sugar and set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Add the butter, flour, cocoa powder, eggs, and sugar to the yeast mixture and use a knife or your hands to mix until a sticky dough forms.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean, damp cloth and set aside in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
Roll out to 1cm thick and use an 8cm-round cutter to cut 10 rounds from the dough. Place the rounds on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and set aside for 30 minutes or until risen.
Place the oil and a sugar thermometer in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat until temperature reaches 180°C (350°F) alternatively use a deep fat fryer.
Make the glaze while the oil heats up, in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt together the butter, milk, and tahini, until smooth and combined, slowly add the powdered sugar until you have a thick glaze that is still pourable but at the same time opaque, set the glaze aside while you fry the doughnuts.
Cook the doughnuts, in batches, for 1–2 minutes each side or until golden. Drain on absorbent paper.
Dip the top of the cooked doughnuts into the glaze and place the non-glazed side down on a cooling rack to allow the excess glaze to drip off. Sprinkle with halva. Best served the day they are made.
