Description
These indulgent oven-baked donuts are filled with creamy vanilla pastry cream and topped with a perfectly caramelized crème brûlée sugar crust. A fun twist on a classic dessert, these donuts are a delicious treat for any occasion!
Ingredients
Scale
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, stirring 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, then 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, then gradually add the rest of the milk.
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
- Be sure to use a kitchen torch or broiler to properly caramelize the sugar topping.
- If you don’t have a piping bag, you can also use a Ziploc bag with a corner cut off to pipe the cream.
- The pastry cream can be made a day ahead and chilled until needed.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 50mg