What’s more indulgent than a fried sweet dough? Maybe a fried doughnut that’s been heavily stuffed with a creamy vanilla custard and a perfectly crunchy glaze on top. These Creme Brulee Doughnuts are Irresistible!
Woohoo, hello from the world of motherhood! I love being a stay-at-home mom, and I treasure the time we spend with my little man. It’s been almost eight months now, and my heart swells just thinking about how fast the time flies! Tihon just cut his first tooth and wiggles around like crazy all day. He exhausts me, he inspires me, and he always knows how to make me laugh. He’s the only person I ever meet with a smile and open arms early in the morning no matter how bleary-eyed I may be from restless nights.
Therefore, cooking has been minimal. Quick salads and little armies of tupperware’d meal preps to make more time with my crew has become the new normal. Last week, however, I was able to make these Creme Brulee Doughnuts thanks to our son’s amazing godparents, who came over and graciously agreed to help with the baby, so I can share a few new recipes with you!
It would’ve perhaps been smarter to start with a simple recipe, but I was feeling extra adventurous after the long break. Plus, I am never the one to shy away from a challenge. These creme brulee doughnuts are what your food dreams made of. The dough is light and pillowy. The outside crust is perfectly brûléed. And the inside is stuffed with oozing custard filling. I can’t explain to you how heavenly these creme brulee doughnuts are.
They are a bit time-consuming, so just be sure to plan ahead accordingly. But most of the time is spent on non-active prep, and they are well worth it!
There is minimal planning that results in these fluffy creme brulee doughnuts. For conveniency, the dough is made the night before, allowed to rest in the fridge overnight, and then the next morning it’s a pleasure to deal with. There is nothing like eating a warm doughnut with a hot cup of really good tea or coffee.
After all, the weekend is near. Let’s make donuts! Let’s eat donuts!
- Doughnuts:
- 15 g instant yeast
- 150 ml of warm water
- 500 g flour
- 50 g sugar
- pinch of salt
- zest of half a lemon
- 4 eggs
- 125 g butter, at room temp
- sunflower oil, to fry
- Filling:
- 500 ml whole milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 100 g sugar
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp butter, at room temp
- Glaze:
- 250 g icing sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- splash of vanilla extract
- 1/8 cup sugar
- Start the dough one day ahead of when you want to have the doughnuts.
- Combine yeast with water in a mixing bowl and set aside for 10 min.
- Whisk together flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest.
- Add the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture.
- While mixing the dough on low speed, gradually add the eggs and kneed until combined. You can kneed by hand, but the dough is quite sticky, therefore a stand mixer is recommended. Knead for about 5 minutes.
- Add room temperature butter to the dough little by little while continuing to mix. Once all the butter is incorporated, mix for another 10 minutes until the mass is smooth.
- Grease another large bowl with oil and place the dough inside, then transfer to the fridge to rest overnight.
- The next day, remove the dough and transfer onto a well greased surface. Greasing the hands helps as well.
- Divide the dough into 14 equal portions (75g each). Shape each piece into a small bun and put them on a tray lined with baking paper.
- Lightly pat each bun with your fingers. Leave enough room between the buns for rising.
- Cover the tray with plastic wrap lightly and let stand for a couple of hours in a warm place until they double in size.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, they are ready to be fried. Put enough oil in a heavy duty pot so the doughnuts can swim in the oil without touching the bottom. Heat the oil until it reaches 175 ºC/ 350 F.
- Carefully transfer the doughnuts into the pot without disturbing the shape too much. Fry the doughnuts in groups of 2 or 3 at the most. I fried them two minutes on the one side, turned them over, and fried them for two minutes on the other side.
- Remove with a slotted spoon, and deposit on a plate lined with paper towel.
- Leave the doughnuts to cool.
- Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat and set aside.
- In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together until thick and pale.
- While continuing to whisk very slowly, add 1/4 cup of hot milk into the egg yolks mixture. Then, slowly pour the whole egg mixture into the milk while continuing to whisk.
- Put the pan over medium heat and while whisking vigorously, bring the mixture to a boil.
- Whisk while boiling for 2 to 3 minutes. The mixture should start to thicken.
- When thick, remove the pan from the heat and scrape the pastry cream into a clean bowl.
- Allow the pastry cream to cool on the counter for about 3 minutes.
- Cut the butter into chunks and stir the chunks into the hot pastry cream, continuing to stir until the butter is melted and incorporated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside until it cools down to room temperature. Stir from time to time.
- When cooled down, place the pastry cream into a pastry bag with a plain tip.
- Use a sharp paring knife to make a small hole on one side of the doughnut. Insert the pastry tip into the hole and pipe pastry cream.
- Mix the icing sugar with water and vanilla.
- Dip the tops of the doughnuts into the glaze and set down on a baking sheet, glaze side up.
- Lightly sprinkle on a small amount of sugar onto the glaze.
- Using a kitchen torch caramelize the top of the doughnut until golden brown.
Welcome back! This looks amazing! Will sure try it out soon!
Where can I buy them