Brioche Donuts + How to Tell When Your Donuts are Ready to Fry

Brioche Donuts (yield: 12 - 18 donuts)

1/2 c (113g) whole milk
1/4 c (57g) water
2.25 tsp (7g) instant yeast
3.5 c (490g) bread flour
1/3 c (67g) sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp (12g) fine salt

8 oz (113g) butter, softened

1. Add the milk, water, and yeast to a mixing bowl. Let the yeast dissolve for a couple minutes before adding all the remaining ingredients except for the butter.
2. Mix the dough on low speed until it comes together.
3. Turn the speed up to medium-low and mix until the dough has medium gluten development (about 6 minutes).
4. Add chunks of butter a tablespoon or two at a time to the dough while mixing. Wait until the butter is incorporated before adding the next piece.
5. Once all the butter has been added, remove the dough from the bowl and add to a lightly greased sheet pan.
6. Let the dough rise for 30 minutes before giving the dough a fold (bring the bottom of the dough to the middle, top to middle, left to middle, right to middle, and then flip over).
7. Let the dough rise 30 more minutes before wrapping in plastic and placing it in the fridge overnight.
8. The next day, remove the dough from the fridge and roll into a rectangle roughly 1/4in (6mm) thick.
9. Cut the donuts with a 2in (5cm) ring cutter and place onto a sheet pan lined with lightly greased parchment paper.
10. Let the dough rise roughly 1 hour or until fully proofed.
11. Fry the donuts in 350F (177C) oil for roughly 60-75 seconds per side or until golden brown.
12. Remove from the oil and let drain on paper towels before filling.

Vanilla Pastry Cream

12 oz (341g) milk
2 tbsp (25g) sugar
1/2 tsp (3g) fine salt
4 egg yolks
3 tbsp (21g) cornstarch
1/4 c (50g) sugar
1 oz (28g) butter
1 tsp vanilla

1. Heat the milk, first sugar, and salt on medium heat until it comes to just below a boil.
2. Mix together the egg yolks, cornstarch, and second sugar in a separate bowl.
3. Temper the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture by slowly adding some of the hot liquid to the yolks while whisking constantly.
4. Return everything to the pot and cook on medium heat until thickened.
5. Off the heat, strain through a sieve and add butter and vanilla, whisking until homogenous. 6. Press plastic wrap directly on the pastry cream and refrigerate until cool.
7. Stir with spatula to loosen when ready to use.

Crunchy Shell

1c (200g) sugar
1/4 c water

1. Mix the sugar and water in a medium size pot and set over medium heat.
2. Let the sugar cook untouched until it reaches a light amber color. Remove from the heat.