Imagine biting into a light, fluffy croissant-shaped donut, oozing with rich crème pâtissière. This recipe brings together the best of both worlds – the buttery layers of a croissant and the soft sweetness of a donut, filled with a luscious vanilla pastry cream.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Unique Fusion: A delightful combination of croissant and donut textures.
- Rich Filling: The homemade crème pâtissière adds a creamy, indulgent touch.
- Perfect Sweetness: Not overly sweet, with a delicate balance of flavors.
- Impressive and Delicious: Sure to wow your guests and satisfy your sweet tooth.
Ingredients for Dough:
- 500 grams of flour
- 15 grams of yeast (1½ tablespoons)
- 100 grams of sugar (½ cup)
- 230 ml of lukewarm milk
- 50 grams of soft butter
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 tablespoon of brandy or vodka
- 1 teaspoon of salt
For Coating:
- Fine sugar for dusting
For Frying:
- 2 liters of canola oil
For Crème Pâtissière:
- 3 medium egg yolks
- 250 ml of milk (1 cup)
- 60 grams of sugar (¼ cup)
- 25 grams of cornflour (2½ tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon of high-quality vanilla extract or 1 vanilla pod
- 40 grams of cold butter
Instructions:
- Prepare Dough: In a mixer with a dough hook, process all ingredients except butter on low speed for 7-8 minutes. Gradually add the soft butter until a smooth, sticky dough forms. Transfer dough to a floured surface, shape into a ball, and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for 30 minutes. After the first rise, deflate the dough and knead by hand for 2 minutes, then let it rise again until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
- Make Crème Pâtissière: Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour in a bowl until smooth and pale. Heat milk and vanilla in a saucepan until it just begins to boil. Gradually add the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking continuously. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Shape and Fry Dough: After the dough has doubled, roll it out on a floured surface into a thin rectangle and cut into equal triangles. Gently stretch each triangle and roll from the wide end to form croissant shapes. Place on lightly greased parchment squares, cover, and allow to rise until doubled. Heat oil to 160°-170°C and fry the croissants, bottom side up, 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool.
- Assemble: Roll each croissant in fine sugar. Create a hole in the center of each and fill generously with crème pâtissière using a piping bag.
Enjoy these heavenly Croissant-Style Donuts with Crème Pâtissière Filling! 🥐🍩🫶
