How to Make Bakery-Style Brioche Donuts filled with Luscious Lemon Cream
Featuring fried brioche glistening with a shimmering coat of sugar, the zesty tang of lemon, the creamy decadence of whipped cream, and the delicate dance of candied lemon peel, this Lemon Donut recipe is a bona fide breakfast revelation. Whether you're planning a leisurely brunch with friends or need a delicious treat to surprise a coworker on their birthday, these lemon-filled donuts are certain to bring joy to your morning.
Servings: 12 Doughnuts
Calories: 399kcal
Equipment
- Piping Tip & Bag
- Slotted Spoon
Ingredients
Brioche Doughnuts
- ¾ Cup Warm Water
- ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest
- 3 ¾ Cup All-Purpose flour
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1 ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ⅓ Cup + 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter room temperature
- 2 liters Canola oil for frying
- ½ Cup Granulated Sugar for coating doughnuts
Lemon Curd
- ½ Cup & 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 3 Eggs
- 1 Egg Yolk
- ¾ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter room temperature
Lemon Cream
- 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 ½ Cups Lemon Curd
- Candied Lemon Slices for garnish
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.
- Add your lemon zest, 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.1 teaspoon Lemon Zest , 3 ¾ Cup All-Purpose flour, 3 Large Eggs, 1 ¼ teaspoon Salt, ⅓ Cup + 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- 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 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 sugar while the oil is heating – add sugar and mix to combine.2 liters Canola oil, ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
- 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 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.
Lemon Curd
- In a saucepan, heat a few inches of water on medium and bring to a simmer
- With a non-metal whisk, whisk together all the ingredients other than the butter in a non-metal heatproof bowl, and place on top of the saucepan allowing the hot steam of the water to slowly heat the mixture.½ Cup & 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice, 3 Eggs, 1 Egg Yolk, ¾ Cup Granulated Sugar, ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
- Take care to continuously mix while the temperature raises and the mixture thickens. Remove bowl from heat once a thermometer reads 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Continue whisking mixture continuously in order to help it cool down.
- Once the temperature has lowered to 135 degrees, add ½ inch pieces of butter to the mixture.1 Cup Unsalted Butter
- Using an immersion blender or spatula, continue to blend until butter is fully incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap with the platic touching the curd and chill for a few hours.
Lemon Cream
- Whip heavy cream until you've reached soft peaks, then fold gently into your chilled lemon curd. Continue to gently fold the two ingredients together until they are homogenous and set aside for assembly!1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 ½ Cups Lemon Curd
Assembling Doughnuts
- Fill a piping bag with your lemon cream. Pierce the doughnut with the tip of the piping bag and fill the center of the doughnut with the cream. Add a slice of candied lemon on top and enjoy!Candied Lemon Slices
Video
Notes
Expert Tips
- Eat ‘em while they’re fresh! Technically, you can store doughnuts in an air-tight container in a dry, cool space for up to three days. This being said, I would highly recommend baking and enjoying these lemon cream donuts rather promptly after frying! Doughnuts are best straight from the fryer as they can dry out quite quickly.
- Don’t forget to proof your yeast. If the yeast/water/sugar mixture doesn’t start bubbling and foaming within 10-15 minutes, your yeast is dead. Don’t make the mistake of forging ahead anyway; the brioche dough will end up hard as a rock.
- DON’T skip the overnight rest. The dough continues to ferment slowly overnight within the low temperatures, which is essential to developing flavor.
- Use a thermometer to consistently check the oil’s temperature. It can rise and lower as you move through the frying process. Keep a close eye on the temperature to ensure it stays at 345ºF for even and consistent doughnuts.
- Be prepared before you start frying! After the second rise, this recipe moves quickly, so have your thermometer, a plate lined with paper towels, and your sugar coating ready before you begin frying.
Nutrition
Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 299mg | Potassium: 176mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 554IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg
