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Oven-Baked Donuts with a Crème Brûlée Twist

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These oven-baked donuts are a delicious twist on the classic dessert, combining soft, pillowy donuts with a rich vanilla pastry cream filling and a crispy Crème Brûlée topping. Perfect for anyone who loves the elegance of Crème Brûlée in a more portable form, these donuts are sure to impress at breakfast, brunch, or dessert time.

Ingredients

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For the Donuts:

  • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) plain yogurt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) unsalted butter, melted

For the Vanilla Pastry Cream:

  • 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons (24 g) cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, cubed

For the Crème Brûlée Topping:

  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

Instructions

  • Make the Donuts:
    Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a donut pan with butter or non-stick spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. In another bowl, mix the milk, yogurt, eggs, vanilla extract, and melted butter until smooth. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined (do not overmix). Pour the batter into a piping bag and pipe it into the prepared donut pan, filling each cavity about 3/4 full. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out clean. Let the donuts cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Prepare the Vanilla Pastry Cream:
    In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium-low heat until steaming. Remove from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until pale and smooth. Slowly pour 1/4 of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking continuously. Gradually add the rest of the milk and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and butter, and transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator until completely cool.
  • Assemble the Donuts:
    Once the donuts are cool, use a piping bag with a narrow tip to fill each donut with vanilla pastry cream. Insert the tip into the side of the donut and pipe the cream into the center.
  • Add the Crème Brûlée Topping:
    Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar evenly over the top of each donut. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until golden brown and crisp. Allow the sugar to set for 1-2 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Make sure the donuts are completely cool before filling them with the vanilla pastry cream to prevent the filling from melting.
  • For best results, use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar for the Crème Brûlée topping; if you don’t have one, broiling the sugar under the oven’s heat for a few minutes works too.
  • You can prepare the pastry cream a day in advance and store it in the fridge for convenience.
  • If you don’t have a donut pan, you can shape the dough by hand into rings and bake them on a sheet pan.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://deliceflash.com/oven-baked-donuts-with-a-creme-brulee-twist/