DAY 1: Make the Cronut Dough

• In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl), pour in dry ingredients together: flours, sugar, salt, and instant yeast (make sure the salt does not touch the yeast). Stream in the water (or milk).
• Mix all ingredients together on low speed until combined. Once the dough begins to hold together, add the cubes of butter one at a time. Lower the stand mixer speed to low to avoid overworking the stand mixer. Keep mixing (5-10 minutes) until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl cleanly. You'll need to scrap down the side of the bowl and reposition the dough hook every once in a while.
• Once the dough has begun to pull cleanly away the sides of the bowl, perform the gluten window check by tearing a piece of dough and stretching it as thin as possible. It should stretch and not tear. The final temp of the dough should be 75-80°F / 25-27°C.
• Make a tight ball and transfer the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a wet towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm area for 90 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.
• Turn out onto your work surface and punch down the dough to remove air. Press into a long oval, and fold both top and bottom edges into the center. Then roll into a log with the center seam facing down. Flatten, cover and place on a small baking tray/plate. Freeze 15 min on each side to slow down fermentation process – keep refrigerated for an hour or up to 12 hours prior lamination.

DAY 2: Tourage (lamination) & Pastry Cream

• INFO - Give 3 single turns (Letter fold). The first turn gives 7 layers. The second turn gives 19 layers. The third turn gives 55 layers.This is the process of folding the butter into the dough in 3 Single turns. After the initial lock in of butter, the first single turn creates 7 layers, the second turn gives 19, and the third gives a final 55 layers.
• LOCK IN BUTTER - Remove the chilled dough, and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough into a 7''x 22” inch / 18x55cm rectangle. (Roll only in one direction at a time to prevent tearing.) Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough using a spatula. Fold the dough into thirds, like folding a letter. Lightly press down all the edges to prevent the butter from spilling out. Cover and chill for 30 mins into the fridge so the gluten can relax.
• FOR SINGLE TURN - Remove the chilled dough, and place back onto your floured surface. Turn 90 degrees, and roll out the dough, again to 7''x 22” inch /18x55cm. Brush off any excess flour and fold like a business letter again giving the second single turn. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
• Repeat the above step 2 more times for 3 single turns (not including lock-in step). After the third single turn, cover and chill for an hour.
• FINAL TOURAGE STEP - Remove the chilled dough, flatten and roll out into an even 16" L x 8.5" W x 0.5" H inch / 42 x 22 x 1.25 cm rectangle; cover and chill overnight.

for the strawberry jam

• Combine the sliced strawberries and granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Let rest for 15 minutes to macerate so excess water is released. Pour out all the released water except 2 tbsp. Heat the macerated strawberries on medium-low heat and stirring occasionally, cook until bubbling. Once bubbling, mash the strawberries with the side of your spoon. Simmer for 5 -7 minutes until thickened. Once thickened, let cool, before straining into a jar. Strain out all the seeds by pressing the jam through with a spatula. Cover and chill in the fridge until ready to use.

for the vanilla bean pastry cream

• Beat egg yolks, sugar, flour and cornstarch together. In a small saucepan, bring milk and vanilla to a light boil, then remove from heat.
• Temper the egg yolk mixture with ¼ of the hot milk, then pour back into remaining hot milk whisking vigorously to prevent curdling.
• Turn the heat back on to medium-low, and bring to boil. Cook the custard for 2 minutes whisking swiftly until thickened and ribbon-y.
• Transfer the custard into a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap (making sure the plastic wrap touches the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Cool and chill until ready to use. Beat chilled custard prior using.

DAY 3: Cut, Make Strawberry Sugar, Prep Fillings, Fry & Fill.

• TO CUT - Remove the chilled dough, and place on a lightly floured work surface. Using a 3.5'' / 9cm diameter round cutter, cut 8 circles. Make a hole in each circle using a 1.2'' inch /3cm cookie cutter. Arrange cronuts and donut holes on a tray lined with a silicone mat. Save scraps for next batch or cut into samples to fry.
• Cover cronuts loosely with plastic wrap and let proof for about 90 minutes or until it reaches 1.4''/ 3.5cm in height. For better handling, chill proofed cronuts in the fridge 30 minutes prior frying.

prep fillings & fry

for the strawberry sugar

• Combine crushed freeze dried strawberries and granulated sugar in a bowl.

prep fillings

• Remove the vanilla bean pastry cream from the fridge, and whip up to stiff peaks. Spoon into a pastry bag prepped with a Bismark piping tip.
• Remove the strawberry jam, and spoon into a piping bag prepped with a Bismark piping tip

to fry the cronuts

• Fill a 2 Qt/2L pot with frying oil and heat to 375ºF/190ºC. Drop the cronuts and donut holes into the pot one at a time, making sure not to crowd the pot. Fry proofed cronuts for a few minutes on each side until lightly golden. Remove from the oil, using a fish spatula or slotted spoon so the oil can drip off. Transfer onto a baking tray lined with paper towels.

to fill

• Let cronuts cool slightly until able to handle. Roll the cronuts in the strawberry sugar. Fill the cronuts halfway with the vanilla bean pastry cream at four injection points. Top up each filling point with the strawberry jam. They are filled when the jam pools on top. Top with more vanilla bean pastry cream and strawberry slices. ENJOY!