Crème Brûlée Donuts Soft Crunchy (Print-Friendly Version)

Soft donuts filled with silky pastry cream and finished with a caramelized, crunchy sugar crust.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 320 g all-purpose flour
02 - 7 g instant yeast
03 - 60 g granulated sugar
04 - 4 g fine sea salt
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 60 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
07 - 120 ml warm water or warm milk (40°C)
08 - Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (optional)
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

→ Pastry Cream Filling

10 - 250 ml whole milk
11 - 3 large egg yolks
12 - 50 g granulated sugar
13 - 20 g cornstarch
14 - 30 g unsalted butter
15 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or seeds from 1/2 vanilla pod
16 - 10 ml rum or brandy (optional)

→ Caramel Topping

17 - 80 g granulated sugar

→ Optional Garnish and Variation

18 - Chopped toasted nuts, for garnish
19 - Ground cinnamon or nutmeg, for dusting
20 - Cocoa powder, for coating
21 - Almond, coconut, or hazelnut extracts, for flavour variation

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine instant yeast with warm water or milk in a small bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes until foamy.
02 - In the bowl of a stand mixer, blend flour, sugar, and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture, mixing on low speed until combined.
03 - Add eggs one at a time, fully mixing each before adding the next.
04 - Add butter, lemon zest, and vanilla extract if using. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8–10 minutes.
05 - Cover the dough and let it proof in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature until doubled in volume (1–2 hours).
06 - Turn out the risen dough. Divide into 12 even pieces and roll into balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking tray.
07 - Cover shaped dough balls with a towel and proof at room temperature until doubled in size, about 45–60 minutes.
08 - Heat oil to 175°C in a deep fryer or heavy pot. Fry doughnuts in batches for 2 minutes per side, turning for even browning.
09 - Transfer fried doughnuts to a paper towel-lined tray to drain excess oil.
10 - Heat milk until steaming but not boiling. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.
11 - Gradually whisk hot milk into egg mixture, then return to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick.
12 - Remove from heat. Whisk in butter, vanilla, and rum or brandy if using. Cool to room temperature, then transfer to a piping bag.
13 - Pierce each cooled doughnut with a piping tip and inject with prepared pastry cream.
14 - Sprinkle doughnut tops with an even layer of sugar. Caramelize with a kitchen torch or dip in wet caramel (heat sugar with a small amount of water until deep golden).
15 - Allow caramel to harden. Optionally garnish with chopped nuts, spices, or cocoa powder. Serve immediately for optimal texture.

# Additional Tips:

01 - Customize the flavour profile with different extracts or citrus zests in the dough or filling.
02 - A kitchen torch yields the most even and crisp caramel crust.
03 - Chill the pastry cream fully before filling to ensure a smooth, stable custard.

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