Nicknamed 'Ballymaloe balloons', my mother-in-law, Myrtle Allen, made these for her children, then passed on the recipe to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They've also been a favourite of guest children at the Children's Tea in Ballymaloe House for over 40 years. They cook into funny little shapes that are uneven in texture, which is a lot of fun – use your imagination to decide what they look like!

Ingredients

Makes about 10 doughnuts

  • 150g plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons caster sugar
  • 1 level teaspoon baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 200ml full-fat milk, plus more if needed
  • light olive or vegetable oil, for deep-frying
  • extra caster sugar or cinnamon sugar
  • (granulated sugar mixed with a little ground cinnamon), to coat

For the lemon curd:

Makes 2x200ml jars

  • 50g butter
  • 100g caster sugar
  • grated zest and juice of 2 organic lemons
  • 2 organic eggs and
  • 1 organic egg yolk, whisked

To serve:

  • Crème pâtissière
  • Lemon curd

Method

1. Sieve the dry ingredients into a bowl. Mix to a thick batter (dropping consistency) with the milk.

2. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 190°C/375°F. If you don't have a deep-fryer, heat 4cm light olive or vegetable oil in a deep pan.

3. Take a heaped teaspoonful of the mixture and gently push it off with your finger so that it drops in a round ball into the fat. Fry until puffed and golden.

4. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Repeat the process until you have used up all the batter.

5. Roll the balloons in caster sugar or cinnamon sugar and serve at once.

6. These are also delicious with sweet apple sauce flavoured with a little cinnamon and a bowl of crème pâtissière for dipping.

For the lemon curd:

Tangy, delicious lemon curd can be made in the twinkling of an eye. Use the best eggs you can find and fresh, zesty, organic lemons. Smear it on a sponge, fresh bread or scones or drizzle it over meringues.

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan on a very low heat.

2. Add the sugar and the lemon zest and juice, then add the whisked eggs.

3. Stir carefully over a gentle heat with a straight- ended wooden spatula until the mixture coats the back of it.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the curd into a bowl or sterilised jars (it will thicken further as it cools).

5. Cover when cold and refrigerate. This is best eaten within a fortnight.