Light and fluffy donut dough filled with creamy vanilla custard, rolled in sugar and torched to crunchy caramelized perfection. These creme brulee donuts are too good to be true.
Author:Catherine Zhang
Prep Time:60 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Total Time:1 hour 15 minutes
Yield:6 Donuts 1x
Category:Donut
Method:Intermediate
Cuisine:Fusion
Ingredients
UnitsScale
Donut Dough
212g Bread flour (1 2/3 cup)
4g Instant yeast (1 tsp)
25g White sugar (2 tbsp)
60ml Milk, lukewarm (1/4 cup)
60ml Water, lukewarm (1/4 cup)
25g Unsalted butter, softened (5 tsp)
Pinch of salt
Neutral oil, for frying
Custard
2 Egg yolks
37g Granulated sugar (3 tbsp)
1 1/2 tbsp Cornstarch
1 tsp Vanilla extract
180ml Whole milk (3/4 cup)
15g Unsalted butter ( 1 tbsp)
Sugar Syrup
60ml Water (1/4 cup)
100g Granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
Assembly
Approx 1/2cup granulated sugar, for rolling
Instructions
Combine flour, yeast, sugar, water, milk, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook
Combine the ingredients on low speed, before increasing the speed to medium-high and kneading for 5 minutes, or until smooth
Add the butter and continue to beat for 10 minutes
When the dough is smooth and elastic it's ready
Transfer the dough to your counter-top, dust lightly with flour, and shape into a ball
Place the dough back in a large oiled bowl and cover with cling wrap
Place the covered bowl in a warm area for 1-2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size
Dust your worksurface with flour and remove dough from the bowl
Release built-up air by flattening the ball and divide it into 6 even portions
Roll each portion into a ball and place it on an oven tray lined with baking paper
Cover with cling wrap and let it proof for 30 minutes, or until almost doubled in size
Heat a heavy bottomed pot of oil to 170C/340F
Cut the baking paper that the donuts are sitting on so that each donut is on it's own square of baking paper
Carefully pick the donuts up by the corners of the baking paper and place them in the pot of oil, 3 at a time
Fry for 2 mins on each side, or until golden brown, then drain on a wire rack or paper towel
Repeat with the remaining donuts
Cool completely
Custard
While the dough is proofing make the custard
Combine the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a large heatproof bowl and whisk to combine
Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a small saucepan over medium heat and heat until steaming
Remove from the heat and pour into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly until smooth
Return the mixture to the saucepan and heat over medium-low, whisking constantly until thickened
The mixture should be thick enough to draw lines in it
Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, stir until melted
Transfer the custard to a bowl and cover with cling wrap, pressing the cling wrap onto the surface of the custard to prevent it from forming a skin
Place in the fridge to cool completely
Sugar Syrup
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until the sugar has melted and slightly thickened
Transfer to a small bowl big enough to dip the donuts in
Assembly
Transfer the custard into a piping bag fitted with a medium-sized round tip
Poke a hole on the side of each donut with a skewer or chopstick, ensuring not to pierce the whole way through
Insert the tip of the piping bag into the hole and fill each donut with custard
Place the sugar on a small plate
Dip one side of the filled donuts into the sugar syrup, then press it, sugar syrup side down, into the sugar
Place the donut sugared side up on a heat-proof plate or wire rack
Repeat with the remaining donuts
Using a blow torch caramelize the sugar to create a 'creme brulee' finish