Leche flan donuts began at New York's Kora, a Filipino bakery. The owner, Kimberly Camara, found her grandmother's leche flan recipe from old notebooks. She decided to incorporate them into brioche donuts, filled with leche cream and topped with a round slice of the custard. It became such a hit that the donuts sell out every week, with at least 8,000 people waiting moments just to get a box.
This recipe is very simple, one that's easy to make even for beginner bakers. The best part about is that you don't even have to make your own leche flan for it.
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 ½ cups bread or all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 ¼ tsp instant yeast
- ¼ cup powdered milk
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup butter, softened
Filling (Optional)
- 1 llanera leche flan, blended
To Finish
- 1 cup white sugar
- 6 2-inch rounds leche flan
Make dough: Combine flour, salt, sugar, yeast, and powdered milk into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Start on low speed until dry ingredients are well combined. Add the water then turn the mixer to medium speed and run for 3-5 minutes or until a rough dough forms. While still at medium speed, add softened butter by the tablespoon and continue to work the dough until smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes total.
Proof dough: Remove bowl from mixer and cover in plastic wrap. Let dough rise at room temperature for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Shape and proof donuts: Turn dough out onto a floured surface and punch out all the air. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough until about ½-inch thick, Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut 6 rounds of dough. Set the cut donuts aside on parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for another 30 minutes.
Fry donuts: Heat oil for frying to 375°F. Working in batches, add the donuts to the hot oil and fry until golden on one side, 4-5 minutes. Flip and fry the other side, another 4-5 minutes. Drain donuts on paper towels, then roll in sugar while warm.
Assemble donuts: Once all the donuts are fried, take a 2-inch round cookie cutter and cut out the center of the donuts, hollowing the inside but not cutting all the way through. If filling the donut, scoop about ½ tablespoon leche flan purée into the hollowed donuts. Place the leche flan rounds into the center of the donuts. Serve.
