It’s so hard to know how to start this post, because I can only assume that you’re sick of hearing me talk about my love of donuts by now. I mention donuts in every bio I have to write about myself (something I have to do shockingly often, but I’m not complaining).
I love a yeasted donut, a cake donut, a doughnut (swanky), a beignet, a churro, a fritter, olliebollen, zeppole, ricotta fritters, sufganiyot, berliners, loukoumades, YOU NAME IT, I love it. (Actually if you can think of any other donuts, comment them below!) And I’m now especially fond of these Salted Maple Crullers!
These crullers are something that I have heretofore only heard about in movies. I’ve never seen a cruller in an Australian store, until very recently when I had one at Shortstop Coffee and Donuts in Melbourne (although I can’t remember if they called it a cruller).
It was a New Orleans Ice Coffee flavour, and it was UGH-mazing. And whilst I loved that New Orleans flavour, I decided to take my cruller up the East Coast of the USA a little ways, and incorporate my favourite tree-sap, Maple Syrup. If donuts are my primary obsession, Maple Syrup is at least in the top five.
Donuts are an ask to make, I won’t lie. There’s no real reason to ever make them, especially when you can buy such good ones, and you can’t serve them for breakfast or dessert – they’re really only ever a snack. I mean, of course you can serve them whenever you want, but traditionally, they are a between-meals treat.
And I think that’s why I love them so much. Donuts have such a fuck-you attitude. They only exist when someone has the sheer will to say, ‘dammit, I’m making donuts. I have no reason to, I just want to. Yep, this is happening. Let’s. Fucking. Do it.’ So I guess in many ways, my entire life view has been shaped by these pucks of dough. That’s awesome.
The holidays are the one time of the year when that ‘screw-it’ attitude is a little more possible for anyone who has a job. Maybe you’ve got some time off, and you’re a little more of a mind to completely throw any notion of a diet out the window.
And the salty maple glaze on top of these crisp-tender beasts is…enough to literally melt a human. If the grinch had had these…he would have actually just chilled out and stayed in his cave. There’s nothing wrong with being an introvert, is all I’m saying. And DONUTS! Always donuts. Love ya, bye!
xx Sarah.
- 1 cup (250ml) water
- 115g (1 stick) butter
- pinch of salt
- 2 tsp caster sugar
- 1 cup (150g) plain flour
- 4 eggs
- oil, for frying
- 1 cup (225g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (60ml) maple syrup
- sea salt flakes
- Place the water, butter, sugar and salt into a medium, high sided saucepan and heat until the butter is completely melted and the mixture just boils.
- As soon as the mix boils, remove from the heat and immediately add all the flour. Mix with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together in a soft dough, and then place back on the heat, stirring constantly, for about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and place into a large mixing bowl. With a set of electric beaters, or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, start mixing the dough for about a minute, just to help it cool - it will look curdled and weird.
- While mixing constantly on a medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each. Again, the mixture will look terrible, but keep going, and once the final egg is in, you should have a smooth, thick, shiny mixture.
- Scrape the mix into a piping bag fitted with a 2cm/1inch star tip, and line a baking sheet with baking paper (one that will fit inside your freezer).
- Pipe out 8-10 crullers, about the size of a small coaster, onto the baking sheet, and then place into the freezer for at least 30 minutes (or overnight).
- To cook the crullers, heat about an 2 inches of oil in a deep, heavy based saucepan, making sure the oil fills no more than half the pan (otherwise it could overflow), until it reaches 160C/325F. You want to keep the oil between 160C/325F and 180C/350F.
- Cook the crullers one or two at a time, until light golden brown and fully cooked through. They need about 2½ to 3 minutes per side. Place on a wire rack set over some paper towels to drain and cool slightly, and continue until all the crullers are cooked.
- To make the glaze, stir together the powdered sugar and maple until you get a slightly thick glaze consistency (add a little water, a tsp at a time, if it's too thick).
- Dip each cruller into the glaze, coating it completely, and then place back on the wire rack so the glaze can drip off and set completely. Then serve 'em!
MALASADAS!! preferably from leonar’ds in hawaii, burn-your-tounge fresh, and dusted only with granulate sugar (fillings are great, but simple is best here).
WANT! I’ve never had a Malasada. That’s straight onto the Donut bucket list.
I could totally kiss you this looks so good!! I am ON THIS.
I once tried to make crullers, and they definitely did NOT look as cute as yours. It was jankytown over here. Teach me your ways.
Freeze em! I piped them out and then froze them before frying. They take a little longer to fry, but they keep their purdy shape. xx
Ugh, these are absolutely gorgeous! I will never get sick of your donut recipes. One day I’m actually going to get brave enough to make one, I swear it!
I believe in you Sarah!
Doughnuts scare me. In a good way I suppose. I’m scared of the power they can have over me with just one bite and I’m also kinda scared of the deep frying thing…But I think I need to get my big girl panties on and get a frying because these are too good to say no too! I am bigger than my fear!
You’re damn right you are. <3
Crullers make me think of ‘Waynes World’ , which makes me think of the Band ‘queen”, which makes me want to head bang, which gives me a sore head.
Crullers = headache!!!!
(seriously, my logic makes no sense)
Yum!! Longjohns are a type I learned about at my local Pennsylvania Dutch market bakery.
Life according to doughnuts – There’s a new religion in there somewhere ;D
This looks incredible! Planning to make this for Christmas Eve breakfast. Om nom nom! If I don’t have electric beaters, can I use my stand mixer? What attachment?
Also, I see sugar listed on the dough ingredients, but not in the instructions. when do you add the sugar into the dough mix?
Hey Marissa! A stand mixer is totally cool (in fact that’s what I used) and you would need the paddle attachment. The sugar and salt go in with the water and butter in the first step. Thank you for picking up these details! I’ve updated the recipe! So hope you love these on Christmas morning!
xx
Sarah
Thank you!! ;D
You forgot malasadas! These look amazing!
Doughnuts are a pretty traditional breakfast food in the States, I’m a big fan whenever someone brings them into the office in the morning. But I can definitely get on the doughnuts-as-a-snack train though. Great post Sarah!