Making Doughnuts is a Fine Art

Sticky and sweet, doughnuts are a delicious indulgence. Justin Gellatly, who created his classic version for the St John restaurant, teaches Anna Maxted his tricksPaul Hollywood favours his warm, covered in sugar. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall prefers his with raspberries and cold custard. The doughnut has come a long way since Washington Irving, in his 1809 History of New York, described "balls of sweetened dough, fried in hog's fat, and called doughnuts or okykoeks".Justin Gellatly, former head baker and pastry chef at St John restaurant, runs a doughnut-making workshop at Bread Ahead, his new bakery and school at Borough Market in London. His recipes showcase a repertoire to weaken the knees: jam, lemon curd, caramel custard with salted honeycomb sprinkle. Or violet custard, chocolate, malt and vanilla. My 12-year-old son, Oscar, and I eagerly sign up to one of his tutorials.So what's the attraction? "Doughnuts have always been a bit naughty," Justin says. "There's something about them that's very special. Ours are very generously filled, so you get messy, and it's hard to stop until you've finished. They're also a real showstopper. You can make a dozen, and give them in a ribboned box to your best friend. They're not easy to make, but most people go away thinking it's worth it."Happily, talent or experience aren't required to take a class. But I realise I fail at home-baking because I don't give it the respect it deserves. Justin's creations are beautiful, but they are maths, science and chemistry, as well as art. Patience and precision are key.Oscar and I start by making dough in a mixer. At first the dough is wet and sticky, but after six minutes, it holds itself together and the sides of the mixer are clean. We should add the butter slowly, says Justin: "Too fast and the dough can't absorb it - it will become greasy."Oscar asks essential questions, such as "Has anyone ever eaten one of your doughnuts and not licked their lips?" (Answer: no.) Finally, Justin pulls out the dough - it's glossy and hydrated. His trick is the dough's long fermentation in the fridge: "The depth of flavour and yeastiness come out overnight."So ours is dough for tomorrow's doughnuts. We roll Justin's dough into balls then lower them into the oil.After a couple of minutes, out they come, pale and golden. They taste divine. As light as a summer cloud and stuffed with a frankly obscene amount of crème patissière, they're bathed in sugar but not too sweet. Justin offers to give us a box to take away. "How many of you are there at home?" he asks. "Twenty," says Oscar.For bakery workshops at Bread Ahead email info@breadahead.com or call 0207 4077853.Anna Maxted with the teacher, baker and cookery writer Justin Gellatly at Bread Ahead, London. Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian