French Cruller Doughnuts

I was thrilled when I realized this book included a baked version of my favourite doughnut shop indulgence.

It starts with a basic choux/cream puff pastry recipe to which vanilla and sugar have been added and some of the water has been replaced with milk.

Water, milk and butter are brought to a boil; vanilla and flour are added and cooked for a few minutes; eggs are then beaten into the mixture. Pipe, bake and give a quick dip in a vanilla glaze and the doughnuts are done!

Unlike cream puffs and eclairs, a moist interior is desirable for these so there is no need to pierce the puffs and return to the oven to dry. In fact, if you have a failed batch of choux...didn't rise, fell after baking (I'm speaking from first hand experience here).....just dip in a glaze and call them crullers:)

I normally make mine smaller than the recipe instructions so a half recipe yields 20 - 2 1/2" baked doughnuts.