French Honey Crullers

For the crullers:

1 cup water

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

1-2 large egg whites (or 1 extra large egg white)

Vegetable oil for frying

For the glaze:

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons honey

3-4 tablespoons milk

Make the crullers: 

In a heavy-bottom saucepan (preferably nonstick), bring the water, butter, sugar, pumpkin pie spice mix, and salt to a brisk boil.  Immediately add the flour, and whisk until it is completely incorporated.  Keep stirring over low-medium heat for about 3-4 minutes; remove as much moisture as possible for a fluffier pastry later on.

Transfer the dough to the bowl of an electric mixer.  Use the paddle attachment to stir the dough for a minute to quickly cool down the dough.  Set the speed to medium and add one egg at a time.  Don't add the next egg until the first one is completely mixed.  Repeat the process with the remaining egg.  Add one egg white and blend until the dough becomes smooth and glossy.  If it's not getting smooth and glossy, add the other egg white; if it starts to become glossy with just 1 egg white, don't add the second.

Transfer the dough to a large pastry bag with a large star tip.  Heat the oil to 370 degrees in a deep saucepan.  Cut about 16 3x3-inch squares out of parchment paper.  Oil or butter each square on one side. 

Pipe a ring of dough onto each square.  Place cruller and paper into hot oil.  The paper will automatically separate from the oil, and the cruller will float on the hot oil, bubbling.  Flip cruller once, and fry until light brown (about 2-3 minutes).  Cool on a wire rack.

Make the glaze: 

Combine all the honey glaze ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth.  Dip the top half of each cruller into the glaze.  Let the glaze harden with a cookie sheet under the wire rack to catch the drippings.  When the glaze has hardened, re-dip for a thicker glaze, if you prefer. 

Crullers taste best served on the same day.  Store remaining crullers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Makes 15-18 crullers.

From Little Spice Jar blog