Choux pastry doughnuts with vanilla sauce

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 250 ml water
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 50 g butter
• 150 g flour
• 4 eggs
• 30 g Sultanas, marinated in 2 tbsp rum
• some lemon peel, grated
• 750 g fat for frying
• Cinnamon – sugar for rolling
• 375 ml milk
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 vanilla pod(s), slit
• 3 egg yolks
• 60 g sugar
• 3 tbsp cream (optional)

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour

Bring the water, salt, sugar, and butter to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat, pour in the flour all at once, and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon on the stovetop (burn) until a lump forms and a white film forms on the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Stir the eggs, one at a time, into the batter, incorporating each one completely into the mixture. Stir the marinated sultanas and grated lemon zest into the batter. For the vanilla sauce, bring the milk to a boil with salt and the vanilla pod. In a saucepan, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until frothy, then gradually stir in the vanilla milk, stirring constantly with a whisk. Beat on the stove over medium heat until creamy (until a rose-like consistency), but do not boil; heat to a maximum of 85°C. Transfer to a bowl and quickly stir in an ice bath until cold. Garnish with cream, if desired. Heat the shortening. Using a teaspoon, scoop out walnut-sized portions of choux pastry and fry them in the hot shortening until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper. Roll in cinnamon sugar and serve immediately with the vanilla sauce.