Vanilla Sugar French Donut

These vanilla dusted donuts are a perfect light dessert. They are created off of a tradition pate a Choux dough with a more delicate crumb and texture thanks to the cake flour. The beauty of these donuts is a non-yeasted dough yields a better quality donut for longer and more portion control if looking to make fresh a few days in a row! The triple berry sauce is a perfect complement to the slight sweetness of the dough and soft crunch of the vanilla sugar dust.

  • Medium
  • 45 mins
  • 16 servings
donuts stacked in a pyramid on a white plate with assorted berries and dipping sauce
donuts stacked in a pyramid on a white plate with assorted berries and dipping sauce donuts stacked in a pyramid on a white plate with assorted berries and dipping sauce
Ingredients

For the vanilla donuts

  • 1 ¼ cup cake flour (150 g)
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter (113 g)
  • ½ tsp kosher salt (2.5 g)
  • 1 cups water (227 g)
  • 1 ½ tsp Rodelle Pure Vanilla Extract (7 g)
  • 1 tbs sugar, granulated (12 g)
  • 3 large egg (189 g)
  • Oil for frying: anything with a high smoking temperature and neutral flavor like canola, vegetable, sunflower, avocado, peanut, etc.

For the triple berry sauce

  • ½ cup frozen strawberries, defrosted (105g)
  • ½ cup frozen blackberries (75 g)
  • ½ cup frozen blueberries (75 g)
  • 1/3 cup sugar, granulated (90 g)
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt (1.25 g)
  • ½ cup warm water (114 g)

For the vanilla bean sugar dust

  • ½ cup powdered sugar (60 g)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (99 g)
  • ½ Rodelle Gourmet Vanilla Bean, scraped (0.5 g)
Uses
Occasions
Directions
  1. Preheat an fry oil to 350 F. In a thick bottomed pan combine, butter and water, heat until boiling.
  2. Remove from heat and all at once, add the flour, sugar and salt and stir to combine.
  3. Return to heat and mix. Mix until steam begins to release and becomes smooth and shiny. Remove from heat.
  4. Let cool for 10 minutes. Stir eggs individually until well incorporated and no longer visible.
  5. While dough cools in a blender or food processor add all sauce ingredients and blend until smooth.
  6. Once combined add to a sauce pan cook on medium heat until thickened, about 10 minutes, sauce should nicely coat the back of a spoon.
  7. Once dough is cool fry in fryer or stove top at 350F for 2-3 minutes or until the internal temp is about 165F and they are golden brown, use a cookie or melon baller to portion.
  8. While donuts fry combine sugars and vanilla bean in a bowl. As soon as donuts are removed from oil toss generously in vanilla sugar and serve.

Notes:

  • Vanilla sugar does better if made in advance so vanilla bean can infuse longer. Add bean contents and “empty” bean to portioned granulated sugar and store in refrigerator up to 14 days in advance, blend with confection right before tossing.
  • If you only want a couple donuts at a time, this dough is great for storage in the fridge for 2-3 days. Once eggs are incorporated seal in an air tight container in refrigerator for later use.
  • Triple berry sauce can be made a day or two in advance and will last up to 7 days in the refrigerator. If you prefer fresh berries feel free to swap, your cook time may just be longer.
  • This recipe was created for Rodelle by Morgan Osborne, part of ADM's Culinary Team. Photos by Amanda at @frommetovuu.