A cronut is a pastry that is croissant-doughnut hybrid. It is a popular item in many bakeries around the world, and is becoming a staple in many restaurants. Making a cronut is not as hard as it may seem, and with a few simple steps and ingredients, you can make a delicious cronut in your own kitchen.
Ingredients
The ingredients needed to make a cronut are simple, and can easily be found in most grocery stores. You need all-purpose flour, active dry yeast, sugar, salt, butter, eggs, and vegetable shortening. You will also need deep-frying oil and a few other common kitchen items like a rolling pin, a pastry brush, and a donut cutter.
Making the Dough
To make the dough for the cronut, you need to mix the yeast, 1/4 cup of warm water, and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a bowl. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes, or until it becomes foamy. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, 1 1/4 cup of sugar, and the salt until everything is well blended. In a third bowl, mix together the butter, eggs, and vegetable shortening until a creamy mixture is achieved. Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture, and then add the butter mixture. Knead the dough until it is soft and pliable. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
Rolling Out the Dough
Once the dough has risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Cut out circles of the dough with a donut cutter, and then cut each circle in half. Take each half and roll it out into a long strip. Brush the strips with melted butter and then roll each strip up into a spiral. Place each spiral onto a lightly greased baking sheet and let them rise for about 2 hours.
Deep Frying the Cronuts
Once the cronuts have finished rising, heat the oil to about 350 degrees. Carefully place the cronuts into the hot oil and let them fry for about 2 minutes on each side. Once they are golden brown and crispy, remove them from the oil and place them onto a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil.
The Finishing Touches
Once the cronuts have cooled a bit, you can finish them off by rolling them in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. You can also dip them in melted chocolate and sprinkle with chopped nuts, or drizzle them with a glaze of your choice. The possibilities are endless!
Conclusion
Making cronuts is a fun and rewarding experience. With the right ingredients, a bit of patience, and a little bit of creativity, you can easily make delicious cronuts in your own kitchen. Enjoy!