Chocolate Cacao Nib Cream Doughnuts for those that adore rich, chocolate pastry cream piped into pillowy tufts of fried brioche! I'm pretty sure that's about... everyone? Okay great - let's get to it!
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The Beautiful World of Brioche
Brioche is known to be an enriched dough due to the amounts of both egg and butter that have been incorporated during the mixing process. It has an incredibly rich and tender crumb that allows for such versatility! Here are just a few of the many things that you can create utilizing brioche as the base outside of doughnuts:
- French Toast
- Hamburger & Hot Dog Buns
- Brioche Bread
- Laminated brioche
- Rolls
- Babka
Equipment
As I mentioned earlier, this brioche donut recipe is a bit of a commitment. These three pieces of equipment will make your life a LOT easier:
- Mixer with Paddle Attachment and Whisk - Making brioche dough requires quite a bit of kneading and whipping cream takes a lot of mixing to get it nice and fluffy. Give your arms a break with a little electronic assistance!
- Small Fryer - I've recently fallen in love with this little fryer. It doesn't take up too much space in the kitchen and it allows me to fry at a consistent temperature. This is completely optional - a sturdy dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot to hold your oil in will work as well!
- Pastry Bag and Tip - Filling donuts with passion fruit cream can be a messy affair if you don’t have the right tools. In a pinch, you can swap in a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off or make a pastry bag using parchment paper.
The Process of Making Brioche Doughnuts
Let's break down the steps of making your own brioche doughnuts at home!
Step 1: Proof Yeast. Mix together the warm water, sugar and yeast together in your stand mixer’s mixing bowl. Let this mixture rest undisturbed for 5-10 minutes until you start to see bubbles start to form on the surface.
Step 2: Knead Dough. Add the flour and eggs to the active yeast mixture using the paddle attachment. After one minute of mixing on medium speed, the ingredients should be well combined. At this point, switch to using the dough hook attachment and knead for 6-8 minutes before adding salt and butter one tablespoon at a time. Continue kneading with the dough hook for another 5-8 minutes until the dough looks smooth and glossy and you notice that the dough is not sticking to the sides of the bowl. This means that your dough has been well developed and we can stop mixing.
Step 3: First rise & overnight rest. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and allow to proof for 1.5 to 2 hours covered in plastic wrap. You’re looking for the dough to have about doubled in size before moving on to the next step. If your kitchen tends to run quite cold, try to find a warm spot to leave the dough for this resting period. Then, remove the plastic wrap, and degas (that’s de-gas, as in remove the gas, not Degas, the French painter) the dough by punching it down before recovering and placing in the fridge overnight. This overnight rest of about 12-14 hours is essential in order to develop flavor as the dough continues to ferment slowly within low temperatures.
Step 4: Shape & second rise. After the dough has rested overnight, it’s time to start shaping! Divide your dough using a sharp knife or a bench scraper into even 65-gram pieces. Gently degas each piece by pressing on top of the ball with the heel of your hand before forming into a tight boule. Place each piece of dough onto a parchment-lined baking tray that has been sprayed with oil and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough sit undisturbed in a warm spot to proof until they have doubled in size for about 1.5 -2 hours.
Step 5: Fry Prep. Approximately twenty minutes before the doughnuts have finished their final proof, it’s time to start heating your frying oil! Grab a large Dutch oven or your preferred container for frying. Add the oil, ensuring that you have at least 3 inches of height from the bottom of the Dutch oven to the top of the oil. Turning the stove on medium-high, heat the oil to 340° F. Place sugar on a plate for tossing the donuts after they’ve fried.
Step 6: Fry time! I always do a “test” doughnut before moving on to the remaining doughnuts. Fry the test doughnut for 2-3 minutes on each side before removing from the oil with a slotted spoon and placing on a cooling rack lined with paper towels. Then, coat in cocoa sugar before letting cool completely. Continue this process by gently dropping four pieces of proofed dough into the oil at a time, making sure not to crowd the doughnuts too much! Make sure to check the temperature of the oil after each batch, in case you need to reheat the oil back to 340° F.
Tips for Frying Doughnuts
There's a number of things to keep in mind before you start the process of frying doughnuts...
Frying Oil
There are so many different kinds of oils on the market that you could grab and fry these doughnuts with. Personally, I've found that palm oil shortening has worked the best when frying these yeast-raised brioche doughnuts. It allows for the perfect crust, and heats up incredibly quickly which I love when making numerous batches of doughnuts back to back.
Temperature
Make sure to consistently be checking your oil's temperature! It can rise above the target temperature that you should be frying at quite quickly. It also will decrease in temperature after frying a batch of doughnuts. Between each batch of doughnuts, check the temperature of your oil before adding more dough to ensure even and consistent results.
Prepared Space
Before you start frying your doughnuts, it's important to make sure that you have properly prepared your space so that your doughnuts are not overcooked! Make sure to have your thermometer close by to monitor the oil's temperature, a plate lined with paper towels to place the fried doughnuts on, and your sugar coating ready as well.
Assembly & Pastry Cream Flavors
In order to finish off these doughnuts, fill up a piping bag with your cocoa pastry cream! Then, pierce the fried and sugared doughnut with the tip of your piping bag and fill the center of the doughnut with the cocoa cream. Top with a few cocoa nibs so the ultimate presentation!!
What's so fun about this pastry cream recipe is that you are able to play with the flavor by omitting the cocoa powder and chose another option. Throw in some plum puree, nectarine puree, raspberry puree to make your own version of these brioche doughnuts!
More doughnut recipes
- Chocolate & Espresso Doughnuts
- Brioche Doughnuts with Vanilla Rose Pastry Cream
- Coconut Cream Baked Doughnuts
- Lemon Poppyseed Old Fashioned Doughnuts
As always, I love seeing your creations and hearing from you! If you made this recipe for these Chocolate Cacao Nib Cream Doughnuts, please be sure to rate and review it below. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest - for more delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!
Chocolate Cacao Nib Cream Doughnuts
Equipment
- Piping Tip & Bag
- Slotted Spoon
Ingredients
Brioche Doughnuts
- ¾ Cup (175 g) Warm Water
- ¼ Cup (50 g) Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Active dry yeast
- 3 ¾ Cup (500 g) All-Purpose flour
- 3 Large Eggs
- ⅓ Cup + 1 Tbsp (100 g) Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 1 ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 liters Palm or Canola oil, for frying
- ¼ Cup Cacao Nibs, for garnish
Chocolate Pastry Cream
- ½ Cup (100 g) Granulated Sugar
- ⅓ Cup (40 g) Corn starch
- 2 Cups (500 g) Whole Milk
- ¼ Cup (40 g) Cocoa Powder
- ½ tsp Sea Salt
- 4 Large Eggs
- ¼ Cup (50 g) Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
Cocoa Sugar
- ½ Cup (100 g) Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cocoa Powder
Instructions
BRIOCHE DOUGHNUTS
- Mix together the warm water, sugar and yeast together in your stand mixer’s mixing bowl. Let this mixture rest undisturbed for 5-10 minutes until you start to see bubbles start to form on the surface.¾ Cup Warm Water, ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar, 1 teaspoon Active dry yeast
- Add your flour, and eggs to the active yeast mixture using the paddle attachment. After one minute of mixing on medium speed, the ingredients should be well combined. At this point, switch to using the dough hook attachment and knead for 6-8 minutes before adding salt and butter one tablespoon at a time. Continue kneading with the dough hook for another 5-8 minutes until the dough looks smooth and glossy and you notice that the dough is not sticking to the sides of the bowl. This means that your dough has been well developed and we can stop mixing.3 ¾ Cup All-Purpose flour, 3 Large Eggs, ⅓ Cup + 1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter, 1 ¼ teaspoon Salt
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl and allow to proof for 1.5 to 2 hours covered in plastic wrap. You’re looking for the dough to have about doubled in size before moving onto the next step. If your kitchen tends to run quite cold, try to find a warm spot to leave the dough for this resting period. Then, remove the plastic wrap, and degas the dough by punching it down before recovering and placing in the fridge overnight. This overnight rest of about 12-14 hours is essential in order to develop flavor as the dough continues to ferment slowly within low temperatures.
- After the dough has rested overnight – it’s time to start shaping! Divide your dough using a sharp knife or a bench scraper into 65 gram even pieces. Gently degas each piece by pressing on top of the ball with the heel of your hand before forming into a tight boule. Place each piece of dough onto a parchment lined baking tray where the parchment has been lightly sprayed with baking spray and cover with plastic wrap that has also been sprayed ( so the plastic wrap doesn't stick to the dough). Let the dough sit undisturbed in a warm spot to proof until they have doubled in size for about 1.5-2 hours.
- Approximately twenty minutes before the doughnuts have finished their final proof, it’s time to start heating your frying oil! Grab a large Dutch oven or your preferred container for frying. Add the oil, ensuring that you have at least 3 inches of height from the bottom of the Dutch oven to the top of the oil. Turning the stove on medium high, heat the oil to 340° F. Prepare your cocoa sugar while the oil is heating – simply combine cocoa powder and sugar and mix to combine.2 liters Palm or Canola oil, ½ Cup Granulated Sugar, 1 teaspoon Cocoa Powder
- I always do a “test” doughnut before moving on to the remaining doughnuts. Fry the test doughnut for 2-3 minutes on each side before removing from the oil with a slotted spoon and placing on a cooling rack lined with paper towels. Then, coat in cocoa sugar before letting cool completely. Continue this process by gently dropping four pieces of proofed dough into the oil at a time, making sure not to crowd the doughnuts too much! Make sure to check the temperature of the oil after each batch, in case you need to reheat the oil back to 345° F.
CHOCOLATE PASTRY CREAM
- Onto the chocolate pastry cream! Whisk together the sugar, corn starch, milk, cocoa powder and salt in a saucepan. Whisk together the eggs in a separate bowl. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil, then slowly pour the milk mixture into the eggs while whisking.½ Cup Granulated Sugar, ⅓ Cup Corn starch, 2 Cups Whole Milk, ¼ Cup Cocoa Powder, ½ teaspoon Sea Salt, 4 Large Eggs
- Return the mixture to your saucepan bringing to a boil again while constantly mixing. Lower the heat and cook for one minute while whisking. Remove from heat and strain into a clean bowl before adding the softened butter, mixing so that it naturally incorporates due to the heat.¼ Cup Unsalted Butter
- Place pastry cream into a container and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic onto the top of the cream so that you do not get a skin.
- Cover and place in the fridge where it will start to thicken and solidify a bit. Before using the pastry cream, whisk to ensure a smooth texture!
ASSEMBLING DOUGHNUTS
- Fill a piping bag with your chocolate pastry cream. Pierce the doughnut with the tip of the piping bag and fill the center of the doughnut with the cocoa cream. Top with a few cacao nibs and enjoy!¼ Cup Cacao Nibs
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