Fatcooks are delicious Zim doughnuts, slightly crisp with a soft interior; they are the perfect afternoon pick me up. Fatcooks are common street food treats eaten in parts of Southern Africa. I’ve filled these with Ombar hazelnut truffle chocolate for an extra indulgent treat.
So what are fatcooks?
Fatcooks are deep fried balls of dough, subtly sweet and slightly crisp. They are also known by the name Magwinya in Botswana. They are more savoury than traditional Western doughnuts, however being deep fried they are still every bit as delicious.
My mum has been making fatcooks for years, they are quick and easy to make meaning they are often whipped up for last minute get togethers. They’re a humble snack, often being eaten unadorned alongside a freshly brewed cup of tea. My mum makes a version without yeast and of as consequence they require no rest time. I prefer my fat cooks slightly softer and lighter, a quality which necessitates yeast and a bit more patience!
The ingredients
I’ve made these doughnuts slightly more lavish by adding a generous filling of hazelnut chocolate. It’s like a ferrero rocher wrapped in pillowy dough, what’s not to like?! I’ve become a fan of Ombar chocolate since becoming vegan. They are a UK based company that pays above fairtrade prices for their cacoa beans. I appreciate the ethics behind the company and the fact they’re willing to pay fair prices for good quality ingredients. Plus their chocolate is gorgeous; silky smooth and just the right side of sweet. We all know vegan milk chocolate can be hit or miss but Ombar have 100% nailed it.
The best part of the recipe is that you already have all the ingredients. Fatcooks happen to be accidentally vegan, requiring only 5 ingredients: flour, yeast, sugar, salt and milk. Mix the ingredients until you have a smooth dough, then simply cover and leave to rest for 1hr 30minutes. Next, heat enough oil for deep frying, then scoop out the batter in large spoonfuls and drop into the hot oil. Cook for 6 minutes, turning 1/2 way through. Allow to cool and then if desired, fill with chocolate or jam and enjoy. Oh and don’t forget your brew!
Leave a comment and let me know how you get on making these fatcooks. I would love to see your creations over on instagram!
Want to continue the snacking?
Apricot and cashew granola bars
Fatcooks (Zimbawean doughnuts)
Ingredients
For the doughnuts
- 560 g plain flour
- 7 g fast action yeast approximately 3tsp
- 4 tbsp caster sugar
- 500 mls lukewarm unsweetened oat milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 litre vegetable oil
For the chocolate filling
- 100 mls soya cream
- 200 g hazelnut chocolate
- 2 tbsp margarine
- 2 tsp cornstarch sieved
Instructions
- Add the flour, yeast, sugar and salt to a large mixing bowl. Mix well and make a well in the centre.
- Pour in the lukewarm oat milk. Mix until the mixture forms a smooth dough. Cover with a tea towel and leave to double in size, approximately 1.5 hours.
- Gently fold the dough, knocking out the air. Portion out the dough into 8 large portions, or if preferred, 16 smaller portions.
- Over a high heat, add enough oil in a large saucepan to allow for deep frying. This should be roughly a litre of oil.
- Test the heat of the oil by adding a drop of batter; it is the correct temperature if the batter sizzles and floats to the surface.
- Using 2 wooden spoons, drop the portions of dough into the hot oil. Use a ladle to roughly shape the dough into balls.
- Cook for 3-3.5 minutes on one side until a deep golden-brown. Flip the doughnuts over and cook for a further 2-2.5 minutes. Remove and place on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Sprinkle over caster sugar, then leave to cool
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan heat the cream to a light simmer or alternatively place in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and whisk in the chocolate until the sauce is smooth and glossy.
- Whisk in the butter until fully melted. If necessary, heat the sauce for 10 seconds at at time. Stir in the sieved cornstarch.
- Place in the fridge to cool for 30 minutes. Remove and fill a piping bag to two thirds full with the chocolate cream.
- Cut a small slit on the side of each doughnut. Pipe in the chocolate until it begins to emerge from the opening. Serve and eat immediately!
These look insanely good!!