RECIPE | Braaied donuts with lemon curd & mixed berries

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

6 plain doughnuts, halved horizontally

1 punnet (300g) mixed berries

180ml (¾ cup) whipped cream

15ml (1 tbsp) icing sugar

1 x 250g tub mascarpone cheese

Fresh mint to garnish

Lemon curd

4 large eggs, whisked

125ml (½ cup) sugar

20ml (4 tsp) lemon zest

125ml (½ cup) lemon juice

125 g butter, cubed

Method:

1. Place the doughnuts cut-side down on the braai grid over medium coals and toast for 1 - 2 minutes. Remove to cool for later use.
2. For the lemon curd, add the whisked eggs to a mixing bowl, along with the sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice, and whisk briskly.
3. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water, and stir occasionally.
4. Add the butter and keep stirring until the sauce thickens - this can take a couple of minutes. Once cooked, strain the curd into a jug and set aside to cool.
5. Whip the cream on high until it forms fluffy peaks. Stir the mascarpone cheese into the cooled lemon curd and mix well.
6. Use a piping bag or spoon to top the doughnuts with the lemon curd-mascarpone mixture. Add the berries, a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of icing sugar. Garnish with the mint leaves.

• This recipe and image are from self-taught chef Adele Maartens' first cookbook,  'My Vegetarian Braai' (Penguin RandomHouse, R325). Maartens says the book is "not about trying to convert carnivores but rather broaden the horizons of every braaier". She's bang on trend with the swing to vegetarianism and veganism, and her collection of ideas, including 45 vegan recipes, will inspire you to think beyond steak, chops and boerie when planning your next braai.