Cinnamon beignets with spiced chocolate sauce

Method

1. First make the beignet dough. Put the strong flour and yeast in a jug and gradually stir in the lukewarm milk to make a paste, making sure there aren’t any lumps.
2. Put the plain flour in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, then rub in the 170g butter with your fingertips. Add the yeast paste, 60g caster sugar, whole eggs, extra yolks and a pinch of salt. Mix until the dough comes away from the bowl edges – if you’re doing it by hand it will be quite messy, but stick with it. Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for 1-2 hours until risen.
3. Meanwhile make the chocolate sauce. Heat the double cream and whole milk in a large heavy-based pan with the vanilla seeds and pod, cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise and chilli. When the mixture is steaming, remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate to melt. Once smooth and thick, pass through a fine sieve into a mixing bowl, then stir through the knob of butter.
4. When the dough is risen it will be thick but soft enough to pipe. Spoon it into a disposable piping bag (do this in 2 batches if you aren’t comfortable holding it all at once). Cut the end off so you have a slit around 3cm wide.
5. Heat the oil in a large saucepan to 160-170°C when tested with a digital thermometer. Meanwhile, mix the 200g caster sugar and cinnamon on a dinner plate. Put a double layer of kitchen roll on a second plate and put it near the pan. Squeeze out the dough from the piping bag to form a ball about the size of a walnut – quickly snip off with scissors, letting it fall gently into the hot oil (or ask someone to snip it for you). Repeat until you have 5-6 cooking at once. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until deep golden. Keep frying in batches until all the mixture has been used up. Don’t worry if the beignets aren’t a regular shape – that’s part of their charm.
6. Briefly drain the beignets on the kitchen paper, then toss in cinnamon sugar. It’s a good idea to tear the first one open to see if it’s cooked properly. Gently reheat the sauce in the microwave or on the hob, then serve with the warm beignets.