Copycat Cronut Recipe

Instructions

For the vanilla cream

1. In a saucepan over medium heat add milk and half of the sugar being careful not to burn the milk.
2. In a separate bowl whisk egg yolks, remaining sugar, flour and salt.
3. Remove milk mixture from the heat and slowly add in the egg and flour mixture.
4. When all of the ingredients have been incorporated place the mixture back in the sauce pan and cook whisking quickly until the mixture is boiling and thick.
5. Add in the vanilla extract and pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.
6. Cover bowl with plastic and cool in the refrigerator until ready to use.

For the cronut

1. Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment to make the cronut dough.
2. In the bowl of the mixer combine flour, sugar, salt and butter.
3. In a separate bowl combine milk and water and warm.
4. Stir in yeast to the water and flour mixture.
5. Let yeast stand about 5 minutes, or until it looks foamy.
6. After that combine the wet and dry mixture in the stand mixer.
7. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again.
8. Take dough from mixer and roll into a ball and place in a greased bowl covered with a damp cloth.
9. Place bowl in a warm spot and let rise until it has doubled in size.
10. Then punch down the dough and let rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
11. While the dough is cooling, flatten the butter between 2 pieces of parchment paper creating an 8x8-inch square.
12. After butter is rolled, roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
13. Roll the dough out into a 12x12-inch square.
14. Place the butter square on top of the dough square.
15. Gently, fold the dough square corners over the butter square and pinch together.
16. The dough should completely cover the butter square.
17. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a 20x8-inch rectangle.
18. Brush off any excess flour.
19. Fold the dough into thirds.
20. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1hour.
21. Repeat the folding and chilling process 2 more times.

22. After dough has chilled for the final time, roll dough onto a lightly floured surface until it forms a 6x18-inch rectangle.

23. Cut dough into thirds to form three 6x6 squares.

24. Place the squares on top of each other and roll out into a 6x8-inch rectangle.
25. Using rung cutters cut out 12 doughnut shapes and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
26. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or when dough doesn’t spring back from being pressed on.
27. Heat the grape seed oil in a large pot until it reaches 350F.
28. Fry donuts for about 1.5 minutes and turn over to continue cooking.
29. Cook until they are golden brown all over.
30. Take donuts out of the oil and place on paper towels to cool.

To assemble

1. Mix together sugar and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Place vanilla cream in a piping bag fitted with a long narrow tip.
3. Whisk together sugar, and water in a separate bowl.
4. Don’t let the glaze get watery.
5. Inject the cronut with the vanilla cream.
6. After roll cronut in sugar and pour glaze over the top.