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Crème Brûlée Donuts Recipe

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4.3 from 14 reviews

These Crème Brûlée Donuts are a decadent twist on the classic French dessert, featuring light and fluffy yeast-raised donuts filled with creamy vanilla pastry cream and topped with a thin, crackling caramelized sugar crust. Perfectly fried to golden brown and cooled before filling and finally dipped in caramel for that signature brûlée crunch, these donuts offer a luscious combination of textures and flavors that will impress any dessert lover.

Ingredients

For the Donuts

  • 2¼ teaspoons (one packet) instant yeast
  • 3½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ⅔ cup whole milk, lukewarm
  • 3 eggs
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the Pastry Cream

  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the Caramel Brûlée Coating

  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt

For Frying

  • Canola or vegetable oil (enough for 3 inches depth in pan)

Instructions

  1. Mix Dry Ingredients and Yeast: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, stir together the yeast, flour, sugar, and salt until combined.
  2. Add Wet Ingredients: Add the lukewarm milk and eggs to the dry mixture and mix on low speed until the dough just comes together, about 2-3 minutes.
  3. Incorporate Butter: Mix in the unsalted butter until fully incorporated, continuing to mix on low speed until a soft dough forms, another 2-3 minutes.
  4. First Rise: Lightly grease a clean bowl, place the dough inside, and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.
  5. Prepare Pastry Cream Mixture: While the dough is rising, whisk eggs, sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium bowl until smooth.
  6. Heat Milk and Vanilla: In a medium saucepan, gently heat milk and vanilla extract over medium heat until bubbles form around edges and milk is steaming, but do not boil.
  7. Temper Eggs: Whisking continuously, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture until combined to prevent curdling.
  8. Cook Pastry Cream: Pour mixture back into saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened and boiling. Boil for 15 seconds more until thick and glossy.
  9. Finish Pastry Cream: Remove from heat, stir in butter until melted and combined. Strain cream through a fine sieve into a bowl to eliminate lumps.
  10. Chill Pastry Cream: Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream to prevent skin formation. Refrigerate at least 1 hour until chilled.
  11. Shape Donuts: Once dough has doubled, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and roll to about ½ inch thick. Cut rounds using a 3-inch biscuit cutter. Reroll scraps and repeat cutting.
  12. Second Rise: Lightly grease a large baking pan. Place donut rounds on pan, cover with plastic wrap or towel, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
  13. Heat Oil: Fill a heavy-bottomed pan with 3 inches of canola or vegetable oil and heat to 360°F (182°C) over medium-high heat.
  14. Fry Donuts: Carefully lower donuts into hot oil, frying 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown. Avoid overcrowding the pan.
  15. Drain Donuts: Remove donuts with a slotted spoon and place on paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain excess oil. Repeat frying remaining dough.
  16. Cool Donuts: Allow fried donuts to cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
  17. Fill Donuts: Use a skewer or chopstick to create a hole and inner pocket. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a tip with chilled pastry cream and pipe into each donut until weighted.
  18. Prepare Caramel: In a medium, light-colored saucepan, combine sugar, water, and salt. Heat on low until sugar dissolves and mixture turns golden caramel color. Remove from heat immediately.
  19. Caramelize Donut Tops: While caramel is hot, dip the top of each filled donut quickly into caramel to coat. Handle carefully as caramel is very hot; use gloves if necessary.
  20. Set Caramel and Serve: Let the caramel harden completely before serving the donuts.

Notes

  • The dough requires two rising periods for soft, fluffy donuts.
  • Maintaining the oil temperature at 360°F is crucial for even frying.
  • Temper the eggs carefully when making pastry cream to prevent curdling.
  • Press plastic wrap on pastry cream surface to avoid skin formation during chilling.
  • Handle hot caramel with caution to avoid burns.
  • Use a light-colored pan for caramel to monitor color changes accurately.
  • Donuts must be completely cool before filling to prevent melting the cream.
  • Wearing gloves when dipping in caramel is recommended due to high heat.

Find it online: https://recipefeastful.com/creme-brulee-donuts-recipe/