Strawberry Glazed French Crullers (Printable Version)
Light, airy French crullers finished with a sweet, tangy strawberry glaze for an elegant treat.
# What You Need:
→ Pâte à Choux Dough
01 - 1 cup water
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
03 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
05 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
06 - 4 large eggs
→ For Frying
07 - Vegetable oil, for deep frying
→ Strawberry Glaze
08 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
09 - 3 to 4 fresh strawberries, hulled
10 - 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 to 2 teaspoons milk, as needed for consistency
# How To Make It:
01 - Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit a piping bag with a large star tip approximately 1/2 inch wide and set aside.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine the water, cubed butter, granulated sugar, and salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the butter has fully melted.
03 - Add the flour all at once to the boiling liquid. Stir vigorously and continuously with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away cleanly from the sides of the pan and forms a smooth ball, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
04 - Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the dough to cool for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to release steam.
05 - Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until fully incorporated. Continue until the batter is smooth, glossy, and falls in a thick ribbon from the spoon.
06 - Transfer the batter to the prepared piping bag. Pipe 3-inch diameter rings onto the parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart.
07 - Place the piped crullers in the freezer for 20 minutes or until they are firm enough to be lifted off the parchment without losing their shape.
08 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep heavy pot or deep fryer to 350°F. Working in batches of 3 to 4, gently lift each frozen cruller with a spatula and carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack set over paper towels.
09 - Place the hulled strawberries in a bowl and mash them together with the lemon juice until broken down and juicy. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Reserve the strained juice.
10 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved strawberry juice. Add milk one teaspoon at a time until the glaze reaches a thick but pourable consistency.
11 - Once the crullers have cooled slightly, dip the top half of each cruller into the strawberry glaze. Place on a wire rack and allow the glaze to set for about 10 minutes before serving.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- The contrast between that shatter crisp exterior and the eggy, almost hollow interior is the kind of texture people close their eyes over.
- The strawberry glaze tastes like concentrated summer, far more interesting than a standard chocolate or vanilla dip.
- They look like they came from a Parisian bakery but the process is surprisingly forgiving once you get the hang of it.
02 -
- Skipping the freezer step is the number one reason crullers collapse or turn into shapeless blobs in the fryer.
- If your oil temperature drops below 325 degrees Fahrenheit, the crullers absorb grease instead of puffing, so fry in small batches and check your thermometer often.
03 -
- Wet your finger with a little water to smooth any pointed tips on the piped rings before freezing, because those tips burn fast in hot oil.
- Cut the parchment around each piped cruller into a small square, then lower the whole paper into the oil and peel it off with tongs after about 30 seconds for the safest, cleanest transfer.