Homemade Strawberry Vanilla Cronuts (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ For the cronut dough

01 - 250g bread flour
02 - 250g all-purpose flour
03 - 15g instant yeast (or active yeast)
04 - 12g kosher salt
05 - 40g granulated sugar
06 - 65g egg whites (approximately 2)
07 - 190g water or milk
08 - 100g unsalted butter, cubed, softened at room temperature

→ For the tourage (lamination stage)

09 - 125g unsalted butter, softened

→ For the strawberry jam

10 - 1 recipe for homemade strawberry jam

→ For the vanilla bean pastry cream

11 - 250g whole milk
12 - 50g granulated sugar
13 - 20g egg yolk (approximately 1)
14 - 50g whole egg (approximately 1)
15 - 3g vanilla paste (or extract)
16 - 15g all-purpose flour
17 - 15g corn starch

→ For the strawberry sugar

18 - 50g freeze dried strawberries, crushed into a fine powder
19 - 67g granulated sugar

→ To fry

20 - Canola oil, palm oil, or grapeseed oil (for frying)

# Instructions:

01 - In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flours, sugar, salt, and instant yeast (keep salt away from yeast). Add water or milk. Mix on low speed until combined, then add butter cubes one at a time. Mix 5-10 minutes until dough pulls cleanly from sides. Perform gluten window test by stretching dough until thin without tearing. Dough temperature should be 75-80°F / 25-27°C.
02 - Form dough into a tight ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover with wet towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm area for 90 minutes or until doubled in size.
03 - Punch down dough to remove air. Press into long oval, fold top and bottom edges to center, then roll into a log with seam facing down. Flatten, cover and place on a small tray. Freeze 15 minutes on each side, then refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 12 hours before lamination.
04 - Roll chilled dough into a 7''x 22'' rectangle. Spread softened butter evenly over dough. Fold into thirds like a letter. Seal edges and chill for 30 minutes. Turn 90 degrees, roll out again to same size, fold into thirds again. Chill 30 minutes. Repeat for a total of 3 single turns. After final turn, chill for one hour.
05 - Roll dough into an even 16" L x 8.5" W x 0.5" H rectangle. Cover and chill overnight.
06 - Combine sliced strawberries and sugar in a saucepan. Let rest 15 minutes to macerate. Pour out excess water, keeping only 2 tbsp. Heat on medium-low, stirring occasionally until bubbling. Mash strawberries and simmer 5-7 minutes until thickened. Cool, then strain out seeds. Refrigerate until ready to use.
07 - Beat egg yolks, sugar, flour and cornstarch together. Heat milk and vanilla to light boil. Temper egg mixture with ¼ of hot milk, then pour back into remaining milk while whisking. Return to medium-low heat and cook 2 minutes until thickened. Transfer to bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching surface. Chill until ready to use.
08 - Cut dough into 8 circles using a 3.5'' cutter. Make center holes with a 1.2'' cutter. Arrange on silicone mat-lined tray. Cover loosely and proof for 90 minutes until 1.4'' in height. Chill 30 minutes before frying for easier handling.
09 - Combine crushed freeze-dried strawberries and granulated sugar in a bowl.
10 - Whip chilled pastry cream to stiff peaks. Fill pastry bag with Bismarck tip. Fill another bag with strawberry jam and Bismarck tip.
11 - Heat oil to 375°F/190°C in a pot. Fry cronuts one at a time for a few minutes per side until golden. Remove with slotted spoon to paper towel-lined tray.
12 - Roll warm cronuts in strawberry sugar. Inject pastry cream at four points. Top each injection point with strawberry jam until it pools. Add more pastry cream and fresh strawberry slices on top. Enjoy immediately!

# Notes:

01 - Cronuts are best enjoyed the same day for optimal crunchiness.
02 - The pastry cream and jam can be made up to 2 days ahead.
03 - If making the dough from scratch is daunting, frozen puff pastry can be substituted.

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