Ingredients

• 3 cups (660g) caster sugar
• 4cm piece ginger, sliced
• 1 cinnamon quill
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cups (300g) cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 75g unsalted butter, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup (125ml) milk
• Sunflower oil, to deep-fry

Method

• Step 1 To make syrup, combine sugar, ginger, cinnamon, lemon juice and 2 cups (500ml) water in a pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves, then cook for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and chill for 2 hours.
• Step 2 Place flour, baking powder and butter in a food processor and whiz until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add nutmeg, egg, milk and a pinch of salt, and whiz until combined. Form into a disc, enclose in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
• Step 3 Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until 7mm thick. Cut into twelve 10cm x 5cm rectangles, then cut 3 lines lengthways into each rectangle, leaving a 1cm boarder at one end to hold the strips together. Plait the 3 strips and pinch end to seal. Cover with a clean damp tea towel.
• Step 4 Set bowl of syrup over a bowl of iced water (syrup must be very cold). Half fill a deep-fryer or large saucepan with oil and heat until 170°C. In batches, cook the doughnuts, turning, for 3 minutes or until dark golden. Immediately soak in syrup for 1 minute, then drain on a wire rack