Vanilla Sugar Cronuts with Chocolate Topping

A donut and a croissant had a baby. A beautiful baby. A deliciously flaky, crunchy, sugary baby.

Unless you live in some sort of cave with no internet access you have probably heard of the cronut, but do you know how easy it is to make? Well let me tell you right now, it's super easy!

Once you've made these once you will definitely make them again and again, and there are so many possibilities for flavor combinations and toppings galore! How exciting!

Vanilla Sugar Cronuts

Serves 6

1 large sheet of puff pastry-500g (if you make your own, great! If you don't have time or are lazy like me then store bought is fine, just make sure its vegan!)

1/2C vanilla sugar

1/4C almond milk

1C coconut oil (you can use any light colored oil)

1/2C vanilla sugar

50g dark chocolate chips

1/4C almond milk

Sprinkles, Jimmies, Chopped Nuts etc. to sprinkle on top!

Roll out your sheet of puff pastry and slice it in half. Using a pastry brush, spread a generous coating of almond milk over one half of the pastry. Sprinkle with some vanilla sugar and place the other half on top. Roll out a little with a rolling pin, to help the pastry pieces to stick together, then cut in half and repeat. Do this three times in total, sprinkling a little flour over the pastry if needed.

Roll out for a final time, making sure there is enough space to cut out 6 donuts. Cut 6 circles using a cookie cutter or a large glass, discard the extra pastry and then, using the end of the pastry brush, make a hole in the center of each cronut. Transfer to a plate lined with grease-proof paper and pop in the fridge for 30mins.

Remove the cronuts from the fridge and heat your oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Fry the cronuts one or two at a time (depending on the size of your pan and your cronuts) turning over several times to make sure they are nicely browned on both sides, but not burned. Remove from the oil and place on a cooling rack until all the cronuts have been fried. Place on a baking tray lined with grease-proof paper and bake at GM4/350 for 5-10mins, until the cronuts are a little more puffy and an even golden colour. Remove from the oven and once again place on the cooling rack. Once cooled enough to touch but still warm, coat in the rest of the vanilla sugar.

Make the chocolate topping by whisking together the chocolate chips and almond milk in a small saucepan over a medium heat until smooth. Pour over the sugared cronuts and sprinkle on your toppings. Leave to cool completely and then devour!

Enjoy! xo