Description
Delight in the airy, light texture of homemade French Crullers coated with a sweet and tangy strawberry glaze. These classic fried pastries feature a delicate choux dough that is piped into ridged rings, fried to a perfect golden brown, and finished with a luscious strawberry glaze made from fresh pureed strawberries and powdered sugar. Optional crunchy strawberry sugar adds a vibrant touch to these elegant treats, perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
French Crullers
- ½ cup Water
- ½ cup Whole Milk
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter
- 2 tbsp Granulated Sugar
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 ⅓ cup Bread Flour
- 4 Large Eggs
- Vegetable or Canola Oil, for frying – enough to fill a deep fryer or a deep skillet halfway
Strawberry Glaze
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
- ¼ cup Fresh Strawberries, cut and mashed or pureed
- 3-4 tbsp Whole Milk
Strawberry Sugar (Optional)
- ½ cup Freeze Dried Strawberries, processed into fine bits
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
Instructions
- Prepare Parchment Circles: Cut parchment paper into eighteen 4-inch by 4-inch squares. Optionally, trace a circle 3 to 3½ inches in diameter on each square with a glass to guide piping.
- Make Dough Base: In a medium saucepan, combine water, whole milk, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and salt. Heat over medium-high, stirring until the mixture boils without overflowing.
- Incorporate Flour: Remove from heat and add bread flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth, thick paste forms. Return to medium-high heat and stir constantly until the dough pulls away cleanly from the pan’s sides.
- Cool Dough: Transfer dough to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until steam dissipates and the dough cools slightly, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add Eggs: Add eggs one at a time, mixing each fully into the dough before adding the next. The dough should become smooth, glossy, thick, and elastic, forming a V shape when lifted and stretching 1-2 inches without breaking.
- Pipe Crullers: Transfer dough to a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Lightly spray a baking sheet, place parchment squares on it with the traced circle side down and pipe dough rings onto each square, closing each circle.
- Heat Oil: Prepare a deep fryer or fill a deep skillet halfway with vegetable or canola oil. Heat to 370ºF (use a candy/digital thermometer for accuracy).
- Fry Crullers: Carefully place 2-3 crullers (with parchment) into hot oil, paper-side up. Fry for about 45 seconds, then remove parchment with tongs. Continue frying each side for 2-3 minutes until medium golden brown.
- Drain and Cool: Use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove crullers and place on a wire rack lined with paper towels to cool and drain excess oil.
- Prepare Strawberry Glaze: Puree fresh strawberries using a food processor or by mashing with a spoon. Mix powdered sugar, strawberry puree, and 3-4 tablespoons of whole milk in a bowl; whisk until smooth and well combined.
- Glaze Crullers: When crullers are cool to the touch, dip them into the strawberry glaze, then sprinkle with optional strawberry sugar before returning to the rack to set.
- Serve or Store: Enjoy crullers immediately for best texture, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one day.
- Make Strawberry Sugar (Optional): Pulse freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor into fine bits. Combine with granulated sugar and pulse lightly to mix. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Recommended frying time is 2-3 minutes per side for a total of 4-6 minutes until crullers are medium golden brown, light and puffy.
- The 24-minute cook time assumes frying 3 crullers simultaneously at 2 minutes per side.
- Adjust frying time and quantity based on oil temperature maintenance and batch size.
- Strawberry sugar garnish is optional but adds a crunchy, flavorful finish.
- Crullers are best enjoyed fresh but can be refrigerated for 1 day in an airtight container.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cruller
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
