Crème Brûlée Donuts (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Creamy Filling
01 -
360ml whole milk
02 -
Three egg yolks, large
03 -
50g white sugar
04 -
3 tablespoons of cornstarch
05 -
30g unsalted butter, softened
06 -
1 tsp vanilla essence
→ Yeast Dough
07 -
180ml warm milk (about 43°C)
08 -
50g sugar, divided into two parts
09 -
7g dry yeast (instant or active)
10 -
1 large egg, room temperature preferred
11 -
1 tsp vanilla essence
12 -
60g butter, melted and cooled
13 -
300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
14 -
1/4 tsp salt
15 -
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
→ Sweet Layer
16 -
200g fine sugar
17 -
60ml water
18 -
1/8 tsp salt
# Instructions:
01 -
Pour milk into a medium pot and heat over medium flame until it's steamy and small bubbles appear at the edges. Set aside off the heat.
02 -
Mix yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth. Slowly whisk in the hot milk to temper the mixture while stirring nonstop.
03 -
Strain the mix into the pot again and cook it over medium heat. Stir constantly until it thickens into a soft pudding, which takes around 5 to 10 minutes.
04 -
Take the pot off the heat, add butter and vanilla, and whisk. Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap against the surface to avoid skin forming.
05 -
Let the custard chill in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours or until it firms up.
06 -
Heat milk to about 43°C. Mix together the milk, yeast, and one tablespoon of sugar in a big bowl. Wait 5 to 10 minutes for it to foam.
07 -
Add the rest of the sugar, the egg, melted butter, and vanilla to the yeast mix. Blend it all together using a whisk.
08 -
Stir half the flour into the liquid mix using a wooden spoon or spatula. Add the rest of the flour and salt, and mix until it forms a doughy ball.
09 -
Take dough to a floured surface and knead by hand for 5-10 minutes until it's soft and smooth. Add flour if it sticks too much.
10 -
Grease a bowl with oil and place the dough inside, turning it to coat. Cover with a clean towel and leave it in a warm spot for 45-60 minutes until doubled in size.
11 -
Get two large baking trays and line them with parchment paper.
12 -
After punching down the dough, roll it out to about 1.3cm thick on a lightly floured counter. Use a 7.5cm round cutter for the shapes.
13 -
Place dough circles on prepared trays, leaving space between. Reroll scraps to make more. Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes in a warm spot.
14 -
Heat oven to 190°C. Bake donuts on the middle rack for 10-12 minutes until they puff and turn golden. Don't overbake to keep them moist.
15 -
Move the hot donuts right away to a wire rack and let them fully cool before filling.
16 -
Use a knife to cut a small slit in the side of each donut. Put the set pastry cream in a piping bag, snip the tip, and fill each donut until some cream oozes out.
17 -
Store filled donuts in the fridge until you're ready to cover them in the sugar glaze.
18 -
In a skillet, mix sugar, salt, and water. Heat over medium-high, and let it boil gently. Avoid stirring, but swirl the pan to melt sugar evenly.
19 -
Keep cooking until the sugar turns honey-colored. Take it off the heat to deepen into a rich amber shade for about a minute.
20 -
Grab the donuts with long tongs, and dip their tops into the caramelized sugar. If the glaze goes hard, warm it over low heat to soften again.
21 -
Put the topped donuts on parchment or a rack and leave around 5-10 minutes for the sugar to solidify. Serve right away for the best texture.
# Notes:
01 -
Covering the pan for a moment can help dissolve sugar crystals if they start forming during caramelizing.
02 -
For a crunchy caramel topping, try glazing the donuts shortly before eating.
03 -
If the yeast mixture doesn't foam, either the yeast is old or the milk was overheated.