Yum yums

Whisk the flour, yeast, 1 tsp salt and sugar together in a large bowl. Toss the butter cubes into the floury mix and begin rubbing it in-between your fingertips – you are looking for flattened lumps, rather than breadcrumbs. Once the butter is well mixed, stir together the milk, 100ml water and an egg in a small jug until combined, then gradually pour into the flour.

Begin bringing this together with a wooden spoon to form a rough dough. Keep working with floured hands until smooth. Cover and leave to rest for 1 hr in a warm spot.

Knead the dough on a floured surface to make it a cohesive ball. Roll out into a long rectangle, about 40cm x 25cm long and 1.5cm thick. Fold one end up by a third and the other over the top, then rotate 90 degrees so it looks like a book. Roll this out to the same size as before, then rest in the fridge for 20 mins. Repeat once more. Wrap well, then put in the fridge to chill for 1 hr.

Lightly flour a work surface and unwrap the dough. Cut into 10-12 strips around 2cm wide. Use a dough scraper or knife to cut a slit in the centre of each strip, leaving both ends untouched and whole. Twist each side of the strip round each other once, so you have a twisted shape like a plait. Put them on a tray lined with baking parchment and leave to rise in a warm spot for 1 hr, until doubled in size.

Meanwhile, make the icing. Sift the icing sugar into a small bowl, then whisk in the lemon juice and zest. Set aside for later.

Heat enough oil in a large, deep pan – enough to submerge the yum yums but no more than a third full – until it reaches 180C on a thermometer, or a cube of leftover dough browns in 30 seconds. Carefully lower two yum yums into the oil and cook for 2 mins on each side until golden.

Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon, then leave to drain on a wire rack with kitchen paper underneath. Brush liberally with the lemon icing before serving warm. Best eaten on the day, but will keep in an airtight container for up to two days.