Crème Brûlée is a classic French dessert that is known for its rich, creamy custard and its crunchy caramelized sugar topping. This recipe for Crème Brûlée Donuts combines the best of both worlds to create a delicious and unique dessert.
Ingredients:
For the donuts:
1 cup warm milk (105-115 degrees F)
1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil, for frying
For the crème brûlée filling:
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
For the caramelized sugar topping:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Instructions:
To make the donuts:
In a large bowl, whisk together the warm milk, yeast, and granulated sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes, until the yeast is foamy.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter, flour, and salt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch.
Cut out donuts using a 2 1/2-inch donut cutter. Place the donuts on a lightly greased baking sheet and cover them with plastic wrap. Let the donuts rise for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Fry the donuts for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
Remove the donuts from the oil and drain them on paper towels.
To make the crème brûlée filling:
In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream and granulated sugar over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly whisk the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks until combined.
Strain the crème brûlée filling through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl.
Let the crème brûlée filling cool completely.
To assemble the donuts:
Fill a piping bag with the crème brûlée filling.
Insert the tip of the piping bag into the side of each donut and pipe in the filling until the donut is full.
Place the donuts on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until the filling is set.
To caramelize the sugar topping:
Preheat the oven to broil.
Sprinkle the granulated sugar evenly over the top of each donut.
Place the donuts under the broiler and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the sugar is melted and caramelized.
Let the donuts cool for 1-2 minutes before serving.
Tips:
For the best results, use a kitchen thermometer to make sure that the milk is the correct temperature before adding the yeast. The milk should be warm, but not too hot, or the yeast will not activate.
If you don’t have a donut cutter, you can use a biscuit cutter or a glass to cut out the donuts. Just make sure to cut a hole in the center of each donut so that it cooks evenly.
To make sure that the crème brûlée filling is set, place a toothpick in the center of one of the donuts. If the toothpick comes out clean, the filling is set.
Be careful not to over-broil the donuts, or the sugar will burn. The sugar should be melted and caramelized, but not black.
Variations:
For a chocolate crème brûlée filling, add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder to the heavy cream mixture before heating.
For a flavored crème brûlée filling, add 1 teaspoon of your favorite extract, such as vanilla, almond, or coffee extract, to the heavy cream mixture before heating.
For a flavored caramelized sugar topping, add 1/4 teaspoon of your favorite spice, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger, to the granulated sugar before broiling.
