Hot Jam Donuts! Heard of them? You’ve probably heard of jam donuts, but Hot Jam Donuts, aka jam donuts filled and served while the donut is still hot from the fryer, are unique to Melbourne (I mean, they probably do them elsewhere, but go with me). If you ever get the chance to visit, head on down to the Queen Victoria Markets, and find your way amongst the confusingly delicious smells and piles of beautiful produce to the American Doughnut Kitchen. There you’ll find a white bus-like stall with a few peeps inside, pumping out nothing but piping hot fluffy yeasted donuts, filled with raspberry jam.
It’s an unbeatable experience. The fingertip-burning heat of the freshly fried donuts adds an element of danger and daring to the eating experience, and there is literally nothing that can beat a freshly fried donut for sheer deliciousness. Add to that the crispy-sugared outer edge of the donuts, leaving gritty granules on your hands and at the corners of your mouth, and the oozing-just warm jam, tart and sweet. The Hot Jam Donut (HJD) takes some beating. If after reading this, you feel that only a donut will do, please see my Vanilla Strawberry Jam Donuts and adapt as needed, but if you can’t be bothered to fry and a flight to Melbourne is a little too expensive, boy have I got you covered.
Meet the Hot Jam Donut Dutch Baby. It’s got all the gorgeous contrast of hot eggy dough, and oozing warm jam, but without the fryer oil and the waiting while dough rises. This is just a big, crispy puff of a pancake, filled with a quick and easy strawberry and vanilla jam. I spike my jam with plenty of lemon, because otherwise it can be a little too sweet for me – but anyway, this isn’t a real jam, it’s just a quick jam. It wouldn’t keep well in the cupboard and it doesn’t have a firm set, but it tastes exactly like the real deal.
Once the easily whisked together batter for the dutch baby goes into a hot skillet in the oven, you’re mere minutes away from a huge, burnished bronze mountain of crispy-custardy pancake. During that ecstatically short window, keep yourself busy by chopping up a punnet of strawberries and stirring them into a jam with a little sugar. The dutch baby emerges triumphantly from the oven, to go straight onto the table, with a characteristic scattering of sugar over the top for that authentic HJD texture, and the jam in question piled on. For the real echt experience, don’t forget to burn your fingers by snagging a crispy edge piece.
xx Sarah.
- 30g (2 tbsp) butter
- ⅔ cup (100g) plain flour
- pinch of salt
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup (185ml) milk
- granulated sugar, to sprinkle
- ½ pound (250g) strawberries
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- juice of half a lemon
- To make the dutch baby, heat the oven to 200C/400F. Place the butter into an 8inch cast iron skillet (or similar sized oven proof dish) and place it into the oven to heat up.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and eggs, and slowly stream in the milk until you have a smooth batter.
- When the butter in the skillet is hot and bubbling take it out, pour in the batter, and place back into the oven. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until hugely puffed up and blooming out of the pan.
- While the dutch baby is baking, wash, hull and chop your strawberries into quarters. Place into a saucepan with the remaining jam ingredients, and cook over a medium-high heat until thick and jammy - about 5 minutes.
- To serve the dutch baby, scatter it with sugar, pour the hot jam into the middle, and have at it! But be careful not to burn your fingers.
Holy crap Sarah you are amazing. This looks so so so incredible and HOT JAMMMM <3 <3
Thank you lovely lady! Also, I think we should all start saying HOT JAMMMM instead of hot damn. Let’s make it a thing! xx
Are there written instructions for this recipe?
Hey CJ – there certainly are! They’re in the post now – I just totally blew it yesterday and forgot to hit publish on them. xx
OMG! Looks great! Where can I find the recipe??
Hey Jen! The recipe is up now! So sorry that it wasn’t there yesterday! xx
Where is the recipe???
Hey Angela – it’s up now! So sorry about the delay, I had a complete brain misfire yesterday. xx
Love jam donuts, love Dutch babies, love this! I fried donuts as my job for a while, and constant fresh yeasty donuts filled with pastry cream was the BEST part of that place.
That is the dream! I would LOVE to work in a donut place. Donuts are my life.
will there be an accompanying recipe? looks amaze.
Hey Kate! So sorry about this – the recipe is up now. I had it all ready to go, and then my brain just completely malfunctioned. xx
Thanks Sarah, we all definitely have those moments! Really looking forward to trying this one.
Beautiful photos and wonderfully written, as always. I’ve never seen jam donuts better described than this. It’s not even breakfast time yet, and I want this NOW. Absolutely making it for supper tonight.
Thank you Sonia! I’m so self conscious about my writing sometimes, this really means a lot to me. xx
GIMME
YOU GOT IT! xx
Is there a recipe for this hot piece of yum?
There is Kate! So sorry it wasn’t there yesterday, it’s here now! xx
Wheres the recipe?
Gah, I’m so sorry Nosh – it’s up now! My brain stopped working yesterday apparently. xx
haha np. i just have to make this soon, its that kind of a thing!
Nope, I totally get it.
Hi, I saw this and immediately knew I wanted to make it for my breakfast tomorrow but.. there’s no recipe? Or maybe it’s just not showing up for me but I’ve refreshed the page numerous times already, it’s very strange :/
Hey Jacquie – sorry about that! Recipe is there now, and I hope i haven’t ruined your breakfast! xx
Oh my word… this looks absolutely divine!! Love it :)
Thanks lovely! xx
I feel like I could appreciate this more if someone cooked it for me. Care to fly to New England? I’m pregnant and too hot to stand by the stove/oven if that sways you. :)
If you would be into even splitting the cost of the air fare, I would definitely do this. Kidding, but not really. ;)
I’ll bring it up with the hubster!