Strawberry Glazed French Crullers (Printable)
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 salt
05 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
06 - 4 large eggs
→ For Frying
07 - Vegetable oil, for frying
→ Strawberry Glaze
08 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
09 - 3–4 fresh strawberries, hulled
10 - 2 teaspoons lemon juice
11 - 1–2 teaspoons milk, as needed
# Steps:
01 - Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit a piping bag with a large star tip, approximately 1/2 inch wide.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine the water, cubed butter, granulated sugar, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring until the butter has fully melted.
03 - Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring until the mixture pulls away 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 5 minutes.
05 - Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until fully incorporated. The finished batter should be smooth, glossy, and hold its shape.
06 - Transfer the batter to the prepared piping bag. Pipe 3-inch 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 firm enough to lift without losing their shape.
08 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep heavy pot to 350°F. Using a spatula, gently lift each frozen cruller and carefully lower it into the oil. Fry in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side until puffed and golden brown. 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 completely juicy. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds, reserving the liquid.
10 - In a separate bowl, combine the sifted powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the strained strawberry juice. Add milk, one teaspoon at a time, until the glaze is thick but pourable.
11 - Dip the top half of each cooled cruller into the glaze. Place on a wire rack and allow the glaze to set for approximately 10 minutes before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The pte choux dough is easier than it sounds, and watching the crullers puff in hot oil is genuinely thrilling.
- That strawberry glaze tastes like concentrated summer and makes these feel far fancier than the effort requires.
02 -
- The oil temperature will drop when you add crullers, so fry in small batches and let the oil recover between rounds.
- Skipping the freeze step leads to crullers that dissolve into shapeless blobs the moment they hit the oil.
03 -
- If your glaze is too thin, add powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time rather than reaching for more flour or cornstarch.
- Re crisp leftover crullers in a 300 degree Fahrenheit oven for about five minutes before glazing them fresh the next day.