Description
This French Cruller Recipe delivers light, airy pastries with a delicate, crispy exterior that captures the authentic texture of a classic French bakery treat. Made from simple choux pastry dough, these crullers are quick to prepare and versatile, perfect served plain or with glaze, chocolate, or powdered sugar.
Ingredients
Scale
Choux Pastry Dough
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Frying
- Vegetable oil or neutral oil (enough for deep frying)
Optional Finishing Touches
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Glaze or melted chocolate, for dipping
Instructions
- Prepare the Choux Dough: Heat water, unsalted butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts completely and the mixture comes to a boil. Remove the pan from heat and immediately add all the flour at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan, ensuring the dough develops the perfect texture.
- Incorporate the Eggs: Allow the dough to cool slightly for a few minutes, then add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Continue until the dough is smooth, shiny, and thick enough to hold its shape when piped, which will create the airy lift characteristic of French crullers.
- Pipe the Crullers: Fit a piping bag with a large star tip and pipe rings of the dough onto parchment-lined baking trays, making sure to create even-sized rings with ridges that are signature to crullers. Consistent sizing ensures even frying and texture.
- Fry Until Golden: Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or heavy pot to 370°F (188°C). Fry the crullers in batches, flipping once, until they puff up and turn golden brown on all sides. Remove them and drain on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- Add the Finishing Touch: Once the crullers have cooled slightly, dust them with powdered sugar or dip them in your favorite glaze or melted chocolate to add sweetness and a visually appealing shine.
Notes
- Keep the frying oil at a steady 370°F (188°C) to ensure a crispy crust without excess oil absorption.
- Allow the dough to cool before adding eggs to prevent curdling and achieve the correct consistency.
- Use a star tip when piping to create signature ridges; a round tip can be used but will alter appearance.
- Fry crullers in small batches to maintain oil temperature and ensure even cooking.
- Drain crullers on paper towels immediately after frying to remove excess oil and prevent sogginess.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cruller
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg