Coo coo for cocoa puffs, how about go nuts for these Cronuts with lemon glaze! Ok, I admit that was pretty cheesy, but these amazing little circular delights are to die for! I love anything that is a hybrid as it is super fun to make. So you get the shape of a donut with the flaky layers of a croissant!
I saturated them with lemon glaze since it is supposedly citrus season. Nonetheless, it was a great addition and these were gone in 1 day in my house. Nom Nom nom!
Another one of my nom nom nom desserts are my apple pie crisp bars The flavor of apple and cinnamon topped with crunchy granola gets me really going in the morning!
Cronuts with lemon glaze
I heard about these cronuts years ago and was scared to try them because I didn't want to start a grease fire in my kitchen, but I am sure glad I took the challenge. Chef John from food wishes has the best recipe and it is the one that I followed in my recipe.
It was a lengthy process and with all my experimenting in the kitchen lately, I have found I REALLY enjoy trying to master the difficult recipes. The lemon glaze was a great addition doing and it complimented the cronuts well!
Making the cronut dough and chilling
First, add dry active yeast and warm water in mixing bowl. Make sure the water is not too hot as it will kill off the yeast. You should have foamy water. After 5 minutes, stir in sugar, milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, egg and ground cinnamon (you can use nutmeg as well). Whisk thoroughly. Pour flour on top. Place the mixing bowl into the mixer.
Second, attach your dough hook and mix on low for about 3 minutes. Dough will be soft and sticky. Transfer to a floured surface and knead 2-3 times more. Shape into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Put into the fridge for 20 minutes to let the gluten relax.
assembling the dough
This next part is important. Third, unwrap dough and put on a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a large rectangle (9x18) and about ¼ in thick. Nature likes circles much better so you have to work at it to get it as close to a rectangle as possible.
Fourth, evenly spread out the softened butter onto the middle third of the dough. Fold one of the thirds over the buttered middle and press lightly. Then, spread the rest of the softened butter onto that third. Fold remaining third over the first buttered third.
Fifth, transfer dough to a sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap and a damp towel. Put in fridge for 20-30 minutes again.
Sixth, repeat the same step as above (except no buttering of dough). Make dough rectangle about 8x14 this time. Put back in fridge for 2 hours.
Seventh, roll out dough to about ⅜ in thick. Next, cut dough in half and put other in fridge. Use a sharp 3 in circular cutter to cut circles of dough from piece on the work surface. I recommend the scrapcooking stainless steel donut and cronut cutter. It works great!
Lastly, put cronuts and holes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Set in unheated over for an hour to let them rise for an hour.
Frying the cronuts and lemon glaze
While your oil is heating up in your fryer or deep sauce pan, you can make your glaze. Y Mix confectioner's sugar, milk, vanilla and lemon juice. Set that aside.
Once oil is ready (350 degreesF), you drop in 2 cronuts. Fry them for 1-2 minutes on each side. Take them out and place on a paper towel on a cooling rack. Once completely cooled you can drizzle glaze on or dip tops of them into glaze. Let glaze set for about 15 minutes before eating!!!
Fun desserts to try
Cronuts with lemon glaze
Equipment
- Kitchenaide stand mixer with dough hook attachment
- Baking sheet
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Plastic wrap and wet towel
- Deep fryer or sauce pan
Ingredients
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- ½ cup warm water (105°) F/41°C
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2½ tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 12 tablespoon room temp butter, divided
Lemon glaze
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1-3 tablespoon milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 6 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- Place yeast into the mixing bowl of a large stand mixer. Whisk in warm water and let stand until a creamy foam forms on top, about 5 minutes. Add salt, sugar, milk, 2 tablespoon of melted butter, vanilla extract, egg, and ground cinnamon. Whisk together thoroughly. Pour flour on top of liquid ingredients. Place mixing bowls onto mixer.
- Attach dough hook to mixer and knead on low speed until the dough comes together in a ball and becomes soft and sticky, about 3 minutes. Dough will stick to the hook and pull away from the side of the bowl.
- Transfer dough to a floured work surface, knead 2 or 3 times, and shape into a ball. Wrap dough in plastic wrapand refridgerate for 20 minutes to let the gluten relax.
- Remove dough from the fridge, unwrap, and dust lightly with flour. Roll out into a 9x18 in rectangle about ¼ in thick. Evenly spread 6 tablespoons softened butter onto the middle third of the dough. Fold one unbuttered third over the buttered third and press lightly; spread remaining 6 tablespoons of butter on top of the third. Fold remaining third over the first (buttered) third. Transfer dough onto a sheet pan, cover lightly with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and refridgerate 20-30 more minutes for the butter to become firm. Sprinkle dough lightly with flour as you work if it becomes sticky.
- Return dough to the floured work surface and pat very gently into a 8x14 rectangle about ½ in thick. Fold outer thirds over center third as before; roll out into an 8x14 in rectangle again. Keep edges of rectangle as straight as possible. Fold in thirds as before. Cover dough lightly with a kitchen towel, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Roll the dough out to ⅜ in thick. Cut dough in half cross wise. Leave half on a lightly floured surface; refigerate other half of dough until needed.
- Using a sharp 3-inch circular cutter to cut 8 circles of dough from piece on the work surface. Use 1-inch size cutter to cut the donut holes out of the dough circles.
- Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and sprinkle lightly with flour. Arrnage cronuts and holes onto a prepared baking sheet. Let rise in a draft free, warm place (inside unheated oven) until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
How to fry and glaze cronuts
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or deep saucepan over medium heat to 350° F/175°C.
- Carefully lift cronut and gently drop into oil. Fry 2 at a time until golden brown (1-2 minutes) per side. Cronuts will puff up as they cook. Drain on wire racks over paper towels; let cool.
- Whisk confectioner's sugar, milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice in a shallow bowl until glaze is smooth and slightly runny.
- Pick up a fried cronut and gently dip the top in glaze or drizzle over them. Return to the rack until glaze has had time to set (15 minutes).
Nutrition
Fun fact of the Day!
Just in case you were wondering, horses and rats can't vomit. So I now hope you can sleep better at night just knowing that!
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