A while back, I shared my favorite doughnut recipe with you all – Salted Caramel Brioche Doughnuts. They are sooo good! Honestly, it’s the best combination ever! However, that salted caramel is quite sweet so for someone like me, one doughnut is enough. To switch things up, I messed around with simple sugar tossed doughnuts and yum! This also means you don’t need to prepare two different elements!
Brioche-Base
Being in France, a lot of the recipes I make at home, have turned into a mélange of both American and French recipes and brioche has replaced other types of dough that I would usually use. Cinnamon rolls, hamburger buns, french toast…all of these ‘American’ recipes have all taken on a French influence. So why couldn’t doughnuts. As per usual, I used the trusty Le Cordon Bleu brioche recipe. It’s well worth the extra time, trust me!
Frying the doughnuts
The best results are with an actual fryer but if you don’t have a fryer, you can fry them in a heavy bottom pan (I used my Le Creuset dutch oven!) with a thermometer to watch the temperature of the oil. Ideally, the oil should be between 165°c – 180°c. If the oil is heating up too much, I turn off the heat. When the oil gets to the lower end of the temperature range, I’ll turn the heat back on medium. Easy peasy.
Depending on the size of the doughnuts, you’ll need to fry each side for about 1-3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip them over and let them cook for an addition 1-3 minutes. I personally like to toss them in granulated sugar before filling them, but you can easily forgo this step. If you do want to toss them, let them drain on a cooling rack for about a minute, then toss them in sugar. Once fully coated, transfer them to a second cooling rack to cool completely.
Easy Sugar Tossed Doughnuts
Equipment
- fryer or heavy bottom pan (dutch oven)
- Thermometer
- drying racks
- circle cookie cutter
- oil for frying
Ingredients
Brioche Dough
- 500 g flour T55
- 75 g granulated sugar
- 25 g fresh yeast
- 6 eggs
- 50 ml heavy cream
- 10 g salt
- 200 g butter
- 10 ml vanilla extract
Finishings
- 100 g granulated sugar, tossing
Instructions
Brioche Dough
- In a mixer add all of the liquid first and mix on slow.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on slow until mixed together for 4 minutes
- Bring up to medium speed and mix until you hear thumping against the sides. Add diced butter and continue mixing for an additional 10 minutes. The dough should be glossy and wrapped around the dough hook.
- Turn out onto a floured countertop and gently knead into a ball. Lightly wrap with plastic wrap and let proof in the fridge for at least 12 hours and maximum 24 hours.
Doughnuts
- Pull the dough out onto a lightly floured work top. Degas it, then roll out to 1.5cm-2cm thick (1/2-3/4inch).
- Using a cookie cutter, cut out your doughnuts and the doughnut holes. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roll up and re-roll out the remaining dough and repeat.
- Let proof at room temperature for 45 minutes – 1 ½ hours or until doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, warm up your fry or oil. This can take 20-30 minutes to be fully at temperature.
- Prep your frying area with two drying racks and a bowl with granulated sugar (if you're tossing the doughnuts in sugar)
- When the doughnuts are proofed and the oil is at temperature, add your first doughnut. Cook for 1-3 minutes (depending on size) then flip when browned. Cook the other side for 1-3 minutes.
- Transfer cooked doughnuts to the cooling rack to drain for 1 minute then toss in sugar until fully covered.
- Transfer covered doughnut to secondary cooling rack and let cool completely.
- Continue until all doughnuts are cooked.
Nutrition
