Name: Korean fried doughnuts (Hotteok)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 200 ml lukewarm milk; 1 tsp dried yeast; 20 gm caster sugar; 250 gm (1⅔ cups) plain flour, sifted; 50 gm glutinous rice powder (see note), sifted; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 40 gm butter, chopped; Pouring cream, to serve; Caramelised Apples; 30 gm butter, chopped; 2 red apples, cored, sliced into 5mm-thick rounds; 1 tbsp brown sugar; 1 tsp thyme leaves, plus extra to serve; 1 tsp lemon juice; Filling; 50 gm brown sugar; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp lemon juice

Hotteok are a popular street food during winter, offering instant hand-warming relief from the freezing temperatures. “The stuffing is quite special,” says Daero Lee, recalling the thrill of cinnamon syrup oozing from the just-baked pancakes.

At Soul Dining, this is plated with thyme ice-cream, but this simplified take offers a sharp, herbal contrast to the buttery richness and sweet fruit.

Ingredients

200 ml lukewarm milk

1 tsp dried yeast

20 gm caster sugar

250 gm (1⅔ cups) plain flour, sifted

50 gm glutinous rice powder (see note), sifted

1 tbsp vegetable oil

40 gm butter, chopped

Pouring cream, to serve

Caramelised Apples

30 gm butter, chopped

2 red apples, cored, sliced into 5mm-thick rounds

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp thyme leaves, plus extra to serve

1 tsp lemon juice

Filling

50 gm brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp lemon juice

Method

Whisk milk, yeast and sugar in a small jug; set aside for 5 minutes. Place flour, rice powder and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. With mixer on low speed, slowly add milk mixture and oil until combined. Increase speed to medium and knead until smooth (5-6 minutes). Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and stand in a warm place until doubled in size (1 hour).

Meanwhile, for caramelised apples, heat a large frying pan with butter over medium-high heat. Add apple and sugar, and cook, tossing gently, until apple is caramelised and just tender (3-4 minutes). Stir in thyme, lemon juice and a pinch of salt flakes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

For filling, combine ingredients in a small bowl to form a paste. Knock back dough and remove any air bubbles; stand until slightly puffed (30 minutes). Divide dough into 6 portions and roll into balls. Using lightly oiled hands, push a hole into the middle of a dough ball with your finger. Fill with 1 heaped teaspoon of filling, pinching dough together to seal. Repeat with remaining dough balls and filling.

Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced. On a clean work surface, gently flatten dough balls without breaking the seal to form 10cm-wide x 1cm-thick discs.

Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add half the butter and cook half the doughnuts, turning halfway, until golden on both sides (1-2 minutes). Transfer to an oven tray lined with baking paper, then repeat with remaining butter and doughnuts. Bake until cooked through (6-8 minutes).

To serve, divide doughnuts among serving plates and top with caramelised apple, cream and thyme.

Glutinous rice powder is available from Korean, Japanese and other Asian grocers.

This recipe also calls for proving, cooling (see method).
Note

Recipe by Daero Lee Chef

Chef and co-owner of contemporary Korean restaurant Soul Dining in Sydney.

Photography by Brett Stevens Photographer

Brett Stevens is an award-winning food, travel and still-life photographer based in Sydney, Australia. His career spans the globe; regularly taking on assignments for esteemed international magazines, advertisers and publishing houses. His signature style bestrides food, lifestyle, architecture, design and travel. Brett is renowned for his ability to create innovative work that combines his technical, considered eye with a playful organic freedom. Inspired by design, architecture and a bold aesthetic, Brett sights the work of Geoffrey Smart, Joel Sternfeld, Gregory Crewdson and Edward Burtynsky as but a few who inspire his ideals of creative expression. Whether it be large-scale studio set-builds, location shoots or concise tabletop environments, Bretts’ passion for photography and distinctive style is reflected in every shot he captures. Brett finds creative freedom and experimentation through his many personal projects, which allows him to maintain a clear headspace through the non-commercial elements of his craft. Invigorated by the current shift traditional advertising, marketing and publishing clients are making into generating multi-faceted digital and print content, Brett is now collaborating with clients on concepts that encompass all media outlets and platforms. Even though he remains a ‘stills’ photographer at heart he is engaging with some of the best editors, sound and post-production teams and has directed motion for a multitude of OLO, EDM and tablet platforms. With an enviable professional career that has encompassed many changes to all facets of the industry, Brett Stevens continues to evolve and embrace new technologies to best serve his clients while creating work that exemplifies his talent and distinct creative style. Some of Brett’s clients include Gourmet Traveller, DMG Fine Wine, Are Media, Dominos, Harvey Norman, Delicious, NLM, Domayne, Vogue Living, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Smeg Appliances, Jones, Condé Nast, Time Inc, Rockpool Group, Food & Wine, Mercedes Benz and Hardie Grant.

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Styling by Olivia Blackmore

Ingredients

Method

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