Nutritional information per loaf
Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 6g | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 0mg
Make Little Doughnuts (Petits Beignets) + Crème Pâtissière
Little doughnuts like these are found in many bakeries in France. They are a much-loved treat! After making these yourself you will find it hard to go back to buying them again! It’s a fairly simple bread, the only hard part is shaping the tiny dough pieces into balls.
Nutritional information per loaf
Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 6g | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 0mg
Ingredients for 50 Servings:
For the dough:
- 250g White bread flour
- 130g Whole milk (or 105g semi skimmed and 25g double cream)
- 50g Egg (1 large)
- 15g Fresh yeast (7g active dried)
- 5g Salt
- 20g Caster sugar
- 30g Butter in small cubes or pieces
For frying:
- 700g Vegetable oil
For crème pâtissière:
- 6 Egg yolks
- 100g Caster sugar
- 40g Plain flour
- 40g Cornflour
- 600ml Milk (full fat)
For the sugar dusting:
- 200g Caster or icing sugar
Yeast conversion tips
When making bread with high amounts of sugar in the recipe, try osmotolerant yeast. This type of yeast thrives in high sugar environments where common yeasts often struggle. That said, I used fresh yeast in this recipe and it works great!
If using instant yeast, divide the amount of fresh yeast used by 3 and follow the same method as the recipe. Active dried yeast needs to be activated before use. In this case, warm 20 grams of milk to 35C (95F), add the yeast with half a teaspoon of sugar, whisk and leave to stand for ten minutes before adding to the dough. Remove 20 grams of milk from the recipe.
If using instant yeast, divide the amount of fresh yeast used by 3 and follow the same method as fresh yeast.
Changing the size of the recipe
This recipe makes 50 small doughnuts. If you want to change the size of the recipe, use the bakers formula.
Total Recipe Time
Goes Great with
Crème pâtissière is a thickened custard, often used in the bases of fruit tarts and filling for eclairs too. It’s pretty straightforward to make, but you can also use jam or a chocolate spread. Enjoy making these french little doughnuts, they are just perfect!
This recipe makes 50 small doughnuts, although you could make larger ones with the same dough. Expect around 4 hours to make them. Doughnuts do not keep that well, especially little doughnuts. But they do freeze nicely when filled and dusted with icing sugar, they can make a great grab and go snack for packed lunches.
What you need to make doughnuts
To make these little doughnuts, you’ll need the following equipment:
- A greased baking sheet to proof the doughnuts
- Mixing bowls
- A metal and plastic dough scraper
- A lid or some plastic wrap (something to cover the bowl)
- Scales, if you don’t have a decent, try these scales from Myweigh
- A deep fat fryer or thick saucepan
- Piping bags and a nozzle to inject the filling
Using a thermometer will help you with controlling proofing times and control the temperature of the hot oil. For accurate readings try this thermometer from Gdealer.
Step-By-Step Method For This Recipe
1) Measure the dough ingredients
Weight the ingredients. If using dried yeast follow the instructions below. Excluding the butter and sugar, add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl or dough mixer bowl (if using).
2) Slow kneading
Set a 4-minute timer and use a dough scraper to gently combine the ingredients. When the bowl is starting to hinder the kneading technique, move the dough onto a workbench. Start slow kneading using a slow stretching technique until the timer sounds.
In a dough mixer:
Mix for 5 minutes at a slow speed. Skip step 3.
3) Rest in the fridge
Place the dough back into the mixing bowl, cover and put in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to cool down.
4) Fast knead alongside adding the sugar and butter
Remove from the fridge and fold the sugar into the dough. Once integrated, set the timer for 4 minutes and knead fast, using the stretch and slap technique. Once the timer sounds put the dough back in the bowl and add the butter. Mash the dough into the fat with your hand to encourage them to incorporate. When combined, take the dough back onto the table and knead as fast as you can for 2 minutes.
In a dough mixer:
Move up to a faster speed and knead for 2 minutes. Continue running the mixer whilst adding the sugar, then 1 minute later add the cubed butter, a few cubes at a time. Continue mixing for another 3-4 minutes until butter is incorporated and the dough feels even and strong.
5) First rise
Using a plastic dough scraper, remove the dough from the table and put it into an oiled bowl. Cover, and leave to bulk ferment for 1 hour on the side.
6) Divide the dough into balls
Grease one large, or two small baking trays with vegetable oil. Next, lightly dust the worktop with flour and turn the dough onto it. Using a metal dough scraper, divide the dough into 10g pieces. They are tiny but be patient, they’ll get bigger! Once they have been divided, roll them into balls in your hands. Place the balls onto the tray in rows.
7) Final rise
Cover loosely with a large bag and place somewhere warm to proof for 1-1 ½ hours.
8) Prepare the crème pâtissière
This is when I make the crème pâtissière, although, it can be done the day before. Take a large mixing bowl and drop the egg yolks with the sugar and whisk until the colour starts to fade. Heat the milk in a pan. Add the flour and cornflour to the egg yolks and continue whisking. Add scolding milk to the egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon. Pour the mixture into the pan and turn on the heat. Keep stirring. Once the mixture boils with large bubbles on the surface, turn the heat down, still stirring. Cook until it thickens. Pour into a clean container to cool and rub a little bit of butter on the surface to prevent a skin forming.
If you are not going to use the creme patissiere right away, place in a pot and cover with a layer of melted butter and greaseproof paper.
9) Heat the oil
Once the doughnuts have almost doubled in size, heat the vegetable oil in a wide saucepan or use a deep fat fryer. Optimum temperature is 160-170C (320-340F).
10) Fry the doughnuts
Once heated, drop around 5 (depending on how much space is in the pan) little doughnuts into the oil. It’s best to use a set of tongs with long handles to prevent the oil from burning your hands. When they are golden brown underneath (1-2 minutes), use tongs to turn them over and fry for a minute on the other side until golden.
11) Drain them…
Use the tongs to remove the doughnuts from the fryer and drain them on a bowl or colander, lined with kitchen paper. Leave them to cool whilst you fry the remaining doughnuts.
12) Fill them…
Prepare a piping bag with a long nozzle or a doughnut syringe. Fill the piping bag with crème pâtissière and pipe them into the centre of the doughnuts.
Try to keep the filling amounts the same in each of your little doughnuts. You can use the scales to weigh the doughnuts before and after filling if you wish to.
13) …and sugar them!
Prepare a bowl of caster or icing sugar. Roll the doughnuts around in the bowl, tap the excess and place them in your favourite presentation bowl!
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