I’ve been wanting to make donuts for a while. Not just because I love donuts, but because I discovered an amazing recipe, by accident, when working at the cafe earlier this year. I made incredible homemade burger buns with potato, a tangzhong, and brown butter. But as I baked them, I decided to fry one. Just for fun. It was tender and fluffy. So I’ve wanted to make them again and fill them with custard. I decided this was the week to do it, so I made creme brulee donuts with vanilla pastry cream and a crackly crown of caramelized sugar.

Creme Brulee Donuts

Donuts are very dear to me, as is creme brulee. So the idea of combining them sounded heavenly. My favorite donut of all time is the Zeppole di San Giuseppe. Fried choux crullers filled with a citrus-kissed pastry cream. I ate them at a local bakery years ago and fell in love. My mom also got me a half dozen of my favorite old fashioned glazed sour cream donuts from a nearby general store for my birthday years ago. And last year I made donuts for my 30th, which turned out great. Based on a recipe I got from a Top Chef finalist. 

So when I came face to face with donut dough again, I was excited. This time I started my recipe on a Tuesday. Before farmers market day Thursday and work on Wednesday. I woke up and had a nice breakfast of eggs, potatoes, and toast. After lounging a little, I hoisted our navy blue stand mixer onto the counter and plugged it in. I made my Neapolitan pizza dough first, which sits on the counter for a day and in the fridge for another before pizza night. It saved me some wrist action, not having to knead it on the counter like I usually do. Then, I cleaned out the stand mixer bowl and prepared my donut ingredients. 

Milk Bread + Potato Dough

The recipe started as a burger bun, as I mentioned, so it’s light in sugar. I don’t like desserts that are too sweet, and these creme brulee donuts are topped with caramel and filled with sweet pastry cream. So I knew they’d work well. One of the reasons I wanted to fry them months ago was because they proof into pillowy and fluffy rolls. When I egg washed them for the first time to bake I realized they were jiggly and full of air and would hold up to a deep fryer perfectly. They also contain a mashed potato and brown butter, which adds so much moisture and flavor. I use a tangzhong, too, like in milk bread, to maximize the softness.

So the recipe is not simple, or quick. It requires a lot of kneading time in the mixer too. But it’s worth it. I started my recipe by melting a stick of butter into brown butter. Which collected small flecks of brown caramelized fat. I didn’t strain it. They remind me of the dots you get from fresh vanilla beans. And they provide so much flavor. When it was done I microwaved a small russet potato and scooped the flesh, mashing it together with the butter. It’s impossible to get it perfectly smooth, unless you blend it, but it doesn’t need to be. The kneading will take care of it. So I set my brown butter and potato mush aside and started my tangzhong. 

Brown Butter + Maple Syrup

Most enriched bread doughs, like brioche, use eggs, butter, and milk to get more flavor, fat, and softness. So I knew I wanted all three. Adding milk immediately reminded me of milk bread, which combines milk and flour in a cooked goo-like substance called Tangzhong. You add it to your bread dough to keep it incredibly hydrated and soft. So I started with my own. I usually do a quick shortcut for this step, scalding milk in a pot and mixing it with flour in the stand mixer. But it’s hard to get it to incorporate, and I dirty the pot for the milk anyway. So I added my flour to the milk and whisked it up into a paper-mache-like substance. Into the stand mixer it went.

Next I added my potato and brown butter mixture and let the stand mixer whirl away with the paddle attachment. The rest is easy. I switched to the dough hook and measured the rest of my flour and milk. I also added eggs, sugar, maple syrup, salt, vegetable oil, and yeast. The mixer started slowly this time, mixing all the disparate things into a buttercup-yellow dough. After a few minutes it formed a dough ball and started to slap the sides of the metal. I leaned on the top of the warming engine as it kneaded for nearly 15 minutes. When it was done I stretched the dough and held it up to the light. It’s ready when you can see through it and it doesn’t break.

Kneading Donut Dough

I dumped the dough out on my counter and formed it into a tight ball with my hands. And then hoisted it back into the greased bowl. Then, I let it proof in the fridge for 2 days instead of my normal 1. Wednesday I would work all day. So I planned to make the creme brulee donuts on Thursday after the farmers market. I had a doctor’s appointment in the afternoon, so I had to be quick. I realized, thankfully, that I had my lemongrass and vanilla pastry cream leftover from my rhubarb danishes. That would save me a step. I planned to form the doughnuts and proof them while I shopped, then fry them when I got home. I could even take a creme brulee donut on the road, in a bag, for my long drive. 

On Wednesday I had a normal and positive work day. The weather was too hot, but I’m getting used to it. I drove home, cooked dinner, and went to bed early. Exhausted. Finally it was farmers market day. But I set my alarm for earlier than usual so I could tackle my creme brulee donuts early. When I took the big bowl of dough out of the fridge it looked huge. Puffy. And speckled with brown butter. So I punched it down and rolled it out, which was nice and easy. I grabbed my digital scale, too, and measured out 110 gram balls, which I then rolled tightly. They went on to a baking sheet, one by one, and I covered them with a large piece of plastic. A clean, see-through trash bag works well if you’re in a pinch. 

Proofing the Buns + Frying

I turned the oven proofer on and headed down town. It’s Maine in the summer, and I live in a popular tourist town. So the traffic this time of the year is a nightmare. It took me a few minutes just to pull out of our road. Next thing I knew I was parking and grabbing my tote bags, crossing the street to the grassy common. There were plump fruits and vegetables. Golden retrievers napping in the shade with basket weavers, medicine makers, and chicken farmers. The woman singing under the music tent was unusually decent, and the vegetable tent had torpedo-shaped purple onions. I got an onion bagel and a loaf of floury ciabatta. 

I couldn’t wait to get home. So the second I pulled in the driveway, I raced in with my groceries and checked my donuts. They had risen so much, and looked nice and puffy. They retained their shape when pressed, too, which was a good sign. Like little golden dough pillows. I readied a baking sheet with a wire rack, a high-edge pan for frying with a few glugs of vegetable oil, and a bowl of cinnamon sugar for coating. I had my eye on the time and knew I had to hurry. So I checked the oil temperature as it rose. And I readied the donuts for frying. When it reached 350, I scooped a couple balls and placed them in, gently. They bubbled quietly.

Cinnamon Sugar + Pastry Cream

I’ve learned a lot about frying over the years and I’ve ruined many donuts. I remember cooking through Flour as a teenager and making Joanne Chang’s brioche donuts. They turned out raw on the inside and dark brown on the outside. I was too impatient to proof them. I knew my donuts were perfect when I flipped them. They had the signature white ring in the middle, which means they were proofed well. And they felt nice and light when I took them out. I couldn’t wait to roll them in cinnamon sugar, so I singed my fingertips a little. And I tasted one as soon as I could. Warm, crunchy, soft. Delicious and fluffy. I was ecstatic. 

The cinnamon sugar was my back up plan. But I had plenty of time left before hitting the road. So I decided to make my creme brulee donuts. I had thawed the pastry cream, just in case. And I realized instead of melting caramel and dipping my donuts in them, most likely burning my hands in the process, that I could just sprinkle sugar on the tops and torch it. I did just that, first, so that the filling didn’t warm and get too thin. My kitchen torch worked like a charm, despite sitting in a cabinet for months. I tapped the tops with a spoon and they sounded just like creme brulee. That amazing crunch of caramelized sugar. 

A Delicious Donut Recipe

I filled the donuts, made a mess, and photographed my favorite one. Cinnamon sugar still lined the bottoms. The pastry cream oozed out after I took a bite. The crown of caramel added such an amazing crunch and rich flavor. The pastry cream too melds with the shards of sugar and crisp, fluffy donut dough into an amazing combination. It’s like dipping sweet fluffy bread into a custard. I tried to save my appetite for lunch, but I ate an entire donut. They were just so delicious. I was proud, too, that the vision of my creme brulee donuts turned out just how I pictured them. I brought a few to work on Friday, which were a big hit. 

These donuts are magnificent and so delicious. So they’re well worth the work. If you’ve made donuts before, they’re not much harder. Just take those couple extra steps with the potato, brown butter, and tangzhong. And if you have a stand mixer with a better motor that won’t walk across your counter, you can even leave it alone as it kneads. I enjoyed the last one after our walk in the woods today. Masterchef Australia has ended with a surprise winner. And I’m feeling good about life. Finding my place at work and my confidence. Reconnecting with friends. Life is always good when you have homemade donuts. 

Thank you for reading! If you enjoy my recipes and paintings, be sure to check out my Etsy shop for 100’s of recipe cards and art prints. Use code THEFORKEDRING for 25% off. See you next time!

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Creme Brûlée Donuts

Tender fried donuts filled with pastry cream and topped with caramelized sugar

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American, French

Keyword caramel, creme brulee, donuts, vanilla

Prep Time 1 day day 2 hours hours

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author theforkedring

Ingredients

• 4 cups bread flour
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 8 tbsp salted butter
• 8 ounces russet potatoes cooked
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup + 3 tbsp white sugar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 6 cups vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• Vanilla pastry cream

Instructions

• Heat 1/2 cup whole milk in a small stock pot. Add 1/2 cup bread flour when scaling and whisk for 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl of a stand mixer.
• Heat stick of butter in a small sauce pan until browned. Remove from heat and add peeled cooked potato.
• Transfer potato mixture to a bowl and mash until smooth. Add to the stand mixer and continue to mix on low.
• Add the other 3 1/2 cups of bread flour, olive oil, 1 1/2 tbsp white sugar, 1/4 cup milk, maple syrup, 3 eggs, active dry yeast, and kosher salt.
• Mix dough until fully cohesive and elastic (about 15 minutes). Remove and roll your dough into a large, tight ball.
• Place in a greased bowl, covered, for 24-48 hours in the fridge.
• Remove dough and split into twelve 110g portions. Roll each into a tight ball and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Let rise, covered, for up to 1 hour, or until light and puffy, in a warm spot.
• Heat 6 cups vegetable oil in a large dutch oven or deep sauté pan until it reaches 335°F. Prepare a sheet pan with paper towels and a wire cookie rack on top.
• Fry donuts 3 at a time 3-5 minutes on a side until deep golden brown. Flip carefully and cook for 3-5 minutes on the second side.
• Mix 1/3 cup white sugar with cinnamon in a large heat-proof bowl. Toss cooked donuts in the sugar mixture until coated on all sides.
• Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the top of the coated donuts and brûlée with a kitchen torch, taking care not to burn.
• Fill the donuts with a simple vanilla pastry cream, using a sharp metal tip to pierce the dough.

Notes

• Your dough is fully kneaded when you pull on a portion and it stretches without breaking – you should be able to see the light through it. (This is called the windowpane test)
• Check out my zeppole di san Giuseppe recipe for a homemade pastry cream. You can also use store-bought lemon curd or vanilla pudding in a pinch.
• The buns are proofed when you can press the tops and the spring back.
• It’s easier to transfer the donuts to the hot oil by using squares of parchment paper. Flip them into the oil and remove paper immediately. Take care not to deflate them.