Apple Doughnuts

Combine the flour, salt, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl. Whisk the melted butter, vanilla extract, milk, lemon zest, eggs and rum together and stir into the dry ingredients to make a thick batter. Stir in the grated apple.

Combine the caster sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish.

Put 4 cm of canola oil in a medium sized, heavy-based saucepan and heat to 170°C on a sugar thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a piece of bread into the oil. It should be golden within 30 seconds.

Carefully place small spoonfuls of batter into the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes each side. Don’t overcrowd the pan as the oil temperature will drop rapidly and the doughnuts will be heavy.

Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels and roll in the sugar and cinnamon mix. Serve immediately. Makes about 20