Cronuts

Denise says:

These are the latest craze in donuts, the hybrid combination of a croissant and donut. They have the shape and feature of a donut yet the flaky texture of a buttery croissant. Definitely for the keen cook as they take time to make but well worth it!

Preparation Time: 1 hour 15 plus proving and overnight chilling 

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Makes: 12

Ingredients:

For the dough:

  • 125ml milk, at room temperature
  • 2 x 7g sachets dry active yeast
  • 250g plain flour, plus a little for dusting
  • 250g strong white bread flour
  • 60g golden caster sugar
  • 250g unsalted butter, cut into cubes and chilled
  • 2 litres vegetable oil

To finish:

  • 100g Icing Sugar and a little water or use readymade icing tubes
  • Choice of edible pearl balls or sprinkles

Method

  1. Put the milk, 125ml lukewarm water and yeast in a medium bowl and mix to combine, then set aside. Put the flours, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.
  2. Add the cubed butter and pulse until it’s in small pieces. Alternatively, rub in by hand. This is the important stage: you’re not making a bread or a pastry, so don’t over-process the mixture – you need to see chunks of butter around 1cm in size.
  3. Tip the flour mixture onto the milk mixture. Using a spatula or bread scraper, gently fold the dry mixture into the liquid, trying to moisten everything without making the butter any smaller. Once everything is combined into a rough dough, tip the mixture out onto the work surface and lightly knead together to form a ball. Cover with lightly oiled cling film and pop in the fridge for a couple of hours to rest.
  4. On a well-floured work surface, roll the dough out into a roughly 20 x 40cm rectangle. Fold in thirds, brushing off any excess flour. Turn the dough through 90 degrees. Repeat the rolling, folding and turning process twice more. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill overnight before using.
  5. Lightly dust the work surface with flour and roll out the dough to a 20 x 45cm rectangle about 0.5cm thick. Using a 9cm cookie cutter, cut out 12 cronuts. Using a 2.5cm cutter, cut out the hole in each. 
  6. Arrange on a tray, cover with lightly oiled cling film and allow the cronuts to prove at room temperature until puffed up – around an hour.
  7. When ready to fry, fill a large, thick-bottomed saucepan two-thirds full with vegetable oil, place over a medium heat and bring to 170C on a sugar thermometer.
  8. Fry the cronuts 2 at a time, lowering them in with a slotted spoon for 1 – 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
  9. Using a metal slotted spoon, remove from the pan and place on a wire rack, Once cooled slightly but still warm, roll the edges of the cronuts in granulated sugar, then set aside to cool completely.
  10. To decorate, add water to the icing sugar 1 teaspoon at a time and mix until you have a thick paste the consistency of toothpaste. Pipe a ring of icing on each and top with a few edible pearl balls and some sprinkles.

Best served within a couple of hours of frying so that they keep their crispness.