Caramel Donut Sandwich

I have fantasized about doing this for a very very long time. Specifically since 2001, when I had my first Krispy Kreme donut ever and realized that donuts had to play a more prominent role in my life. (Really- KK came to Canada and The Husband and I joined the other gluttons like us in a long and winding drive-thru line up, inching excitedly towards the store one car-length at a time, waiting for what seemed like ever to order our hot dozen. The guy in the car in front of us, surely in the midst of a low blood-sugar rage, actually got out of his car and told us to back off.)

It’s time for me to pass the fantasy on to you, my baking friends. The donut sandwich.

It’s such a beautiful and simple concept: take a fresh and flaky yeasty donut, and carefully slice it in half. (This will be the hardest part of the exercise because the donut needs to be impossibly fresh, which means your knife will want to squash the little bugger. But persevere, because you can do it. If I did it, you can do it.) Then slather a crazy-thick layer of caramel frosting between the two halves of yeasty goodness, and just to make a point, drizzle caramel sauce over the top of the masterpiece. Are you nodding with me?

Side note: the picture above, while initially appetizing-looking, does look a little bit like a turkey sandwich. Doesn’t the frosting layer look like luncheon meat? Like maybe smoked turkey or chicken? I promise you that it’s not. It’s salted caramel and it needs to be made by you now. Enough dilly dallying.

Adapted from my Salted Caramel Frosting recipe…

12 glazed yeast donuts

CARAMEL SAUCE (for frosting):

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup whipping cream

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

1/4 cup light corn syrup

3 1/2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

FROSTING:

3/4 cup butter, at room temperature

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup salted caramel sauce (from recipe above)
1. Gently slice donuts in half and set aside.
2. CARAMEL SAUCE: In a deep medium saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar, whipping cream, butter, corn syrup, and salt to boil (whisking until sugar dissolves). Boil for 1 minute without stirring, then remove from heat. Stir in bourbon (if using) and salt flakes, then allow to cool to room temperature while stirring occasionally.
3. FROSTING: Beat butter with a mixer until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add confectioners’ sugar, and mix until completely incorporated. Turn off the mixer, and then add the salted caramel sauce. Beat frosting on low to combine, and then increase to medium-high and beat until airy and thoroughly mixed, about 2 minutes. (Add more icing sugar if you’d like a stiffer frosting; add a bit more caramel sauce if you’d like it less stiff.) Spread frosting in between sliced donuts and drizzle caramel sauce over top.
Tips:
- Mane sure your donuts are fresh. Use a serrated bread knife to slice.
- Too lazy to make caramel frosting? Well, I understand. You can use Nutella instead or your favorite store-bought frosting.
- Too lazy to make caramel sauce? You could totally buy a jar of caramel sauce (of which many are gross- just a word to the wise), or skip it if you must.
- One more vote for home-made caramel sauce: this recipe is totally easy and makes more than a cup, so you’ll have more than enough to use for the frosting AND to eat by the spoonful afterwards while you watch TV.
- Enjoy!
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March 4th, 2015 | More Sweets Please | No Comments | Tags: Caramel, Unidentifiable!