Creme Brûlée Donuts
Combine two very deliciously cozy desserts into one amazing treat! These creme brûlée donuts are filled with a rich vanilla bean custard and topped with bitter caramelized sugar making one perfect dessert to go with your cup of coffee.
Equipment
- Stand or hand mixer
- Thermometer
- Piping bag & straight tip
- Ring cutter- 3"
Ingredients
Overnight preferment
- 114 g All purpose flour
- ½ tsp Active dry yeast
- 100 g Water
Vanilla bean custard filling
- 160 g Whole milk
- 1 ea Vanilla bean
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
- 60 g Granulated sugar
- 1 Tbs Cornstarch
- 40 g Whole milk
- 3 ea Egg yolks
- ½ Tbs Butter, unsalted
- 240 g Heavy cream
- 1 Tbs Granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract or ½ tsp vanila bean paste
Donut dough
- 142 g Whole milk
- ½ Tbs Active dry yeast
- 1 ea Egg yolks
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract
- 315 g All purpose flour
- 1½ Tbs Granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
- 52 g Butter, unsalted softened
- 1 cup Granulated sugar approximate
- 4 Cups Frying oil Use canola, grapeseed, or avocado oil for frying. May need more depending on pan size.
Instructions
To prepare the preferment:
- Mix all three ingredients of the overnight sponge together until a dough forms. Cover and sit overnight.
To prepare the vanilla bean custard filling:
- In a small pot, combine the first measurement of whole milk, vanilla bean, salt, and half the first measurement of sugar. In a separate bowl whisk together the cornstarch with the other half of the first measurement of sugar first then whisk in the second measurement of milk and the egg yolks.
- Bring the vanilla milk to a boil. Whisk a small portion into the cornstarch egg mixture and pour it all back into the pot. This is called tempering.
- Cook on medium high heat whisking constantly until it starts to thicken and boils. Allow to boil while still whisking for another 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from heat immediately and whisk in the butter. Pour into a heat resistant bowl. Cover the top with plastic wrap and allow to cool in the fridge until cold.
- Once the pastry cream is cold and you're ready to fill the donuts, whip the heavy cream, extract, and second measurement of sugar to stiff peaks.
- With a spatula, mix the pastry cream until smooth then fold in the whipped cream in three additions.
To prepare the donut dough and fry:
- Lightly warm the milk then whisk together with the active dry yeast in the bowl of your mixer. Make sure the milk is no hotter than 120℉ before adding the yeast.
- Add in the rest of your ingredients to the mixer bowl except the second measurement of sugar. With the paddle of your stand mixer or dough attachment for your hand mixer, mix on low speed until a dough comes together and it scrapes the sides of the bowl.
- If using a stand mixer, switch to the dough hook and increase speed (for both hand and stand mixer) to medium low. Mix until you pass the windowpane test.
- Cover and allow to proof until tripled in size.
- Roll out the dough to half an inch thick and use a 3" ring cutter to cut. Place the rounds on a lightly sprayed sheet pan. Knead together any scraps, reroll, and cut again. Repeat until you do not have enough dough for a final donut.
- Spray the tops of the rounds and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for another 30-60 minutes. When you have 15 minutes left, prepare your frying station (see tips above), turn on the heat, and make sure it hits 350-375°F.
- Carefully remove the donuts from the pan (you don't want them to deflate!), and carefully add to the frying pan. I use my hands but if you don't feel comfortable, you can use a metal spatula, slotted spoon/spider, or a pair of tongs. Depending on the size of the pot depends how many you can fit in. I will usually squeeze them in with a little wiggle room.
- Allow to fry for 2-3 minutes per side and flip once when it turns golden brown. You can check their internal temperature for doneness; it should read at least 190℉.
- Remove from the oil, let the oil drip off and place onto a cooling rack with paper towels beneath.
- Allow the oil to get back to the 350-375° temperature range and repeat until you have fried all the donuts. Allow to cool before filling.
To fill and dip the donuts:
- Poke a hole in the donuts, and fill your pastry bag half way with the filling. Insert the bag into the donut and squeeze while slowly removing the pastry bag. Stop squeezing when you fully remove the bag.
- Add the cup of sugar to small pan with enough water to make wet sand. Cooking on medium high heat until it starts the caramelize.
- Swirl the pan to promote even browning and take off the heat once it turns a slightly light amber color. Allow to cool for 1-2 minutes.
- VERY CAREFULLY and probably with gloves on, dip the tops of the donuts in the caramel allowing it to fully drip off before placing back on the cooling rack.
- Allow to cool completely and serve within 1-4 hours at room temperature.
Nutrition
Calories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 5gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 147mgPotassium: 106mgFiber: 1gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 468IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 2mg
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