French Crullers

[IndyRob]

A few years ago one of our local supermarkets started to include French Crullers among their doughnut selections. More recently, their competitors have followed suit. Until I saw these examples, all things named cruller were frilly but boring cake doughnuts. These French crullers were fantastically light and tender. I had no idea how they were and tried to no avail to image how they got their distinctive shape. I decided to figure this out this morning and got to googling...

One part was easy. Fried pate a choux. Of course. Duh. Or at least something very similar. But how would one pipe it to get that shape?

This was much harder. Most recipes tell you to make one or two circles. Eventually, I found

that showed me how this should work, but it's clearly not the same shape (but probably acceptable). Finally, I found part of the puzzle. A commercial French Cruller Cutter. That was a little disappointing, but it made sense. No Rob, there are no master choux pipers working in your supermarket's bakery.

But, ok, the shape had to come from some hand crafted origin, no? And how does a culler cutter cut a paste? Anyone know?

[Darienne]

Fascinating little video. What a delight to watch a professional do his thing.

How on earth does that bunch of steel bits and bobs turn out a cruller?

I love crullers. The bakery in the Kroger's in Moab has little to recommend it, but this incredible bakery where the croissants are to die for. Lots of Europeans visit Moab and stop by the Kroger's to pick up a lunch to take out into the wilderness of various kings.

[eternal]

It doesn't "cut" the shape. The dough comes down the hollow tube and gets pushed out between the teeth.

[Darienne]

Gotcha!

[CanadianBakin']

Oh my goodness...fresh French Crullers are amazing!! We made them at school by piping them in the same manner as the video you posted. They were piped onto wax paper which they stick to enough that you can flip them over into the hot oil and the heat melts the wax just enough for them to fall off without distorting the shape. You must try them.

[CanadianBakin']

Oh my goodness...fresh French Crullers are amazing!! We made them at school by piping them in the same manner as the video you posted. They were piped onto wax paper which they stick to enough that you can flip them over into the hot oil and the heat melts the wax just enough for them to fall off without distorting the shape. You must try them.

Just came across the recipe in my file yesterday and my memory was not correct. We had brushed melted shortening over the wax paper and chilled it before piping the crullers. It was the shortening that melted as the donuts were tipped over the hot oil.

Edited August 29, 2010 by CanadianBakin' (log)