Make your own versions of Nutella doughnut and chocolate pie

Make your own version of Krispy Kreme's Nutella doughnut and McDonald's chocolate pie with recipes from chefs Alysia Chan and Bjorn Shen

The Straits Times speaks to two chefs, now-defunct Crackerjacks chef Alysia Chan (right) and owner of Artichoke Bjorn Shen about how to create your own versions of the chocolate desserts. ST PHOTOS: JONATHAN CHOO, KHALID BABA

Updated

Published

Apr 01, 2018, 05:00 AM

Two chocolate-filled snacks have recently captured the hearts of Instagrammers and foodies in Singapore.

Doughnut chain Krispy Kreme launched Nutella-filled doughnuts here on March 17, while McDonald's launched its chocolate pie on March 1.

The limited-edition Krispy Kreme doughnut will not be available after today and McDonald's chocolate pie has been sold out for weeks.

A spokesman for the fast-food chain says it went out of stock four times quicker than it had expected.

If you did not manage to get your hands on either, or want more of them, why not try making your own version of the popular desserts?

The Sunday Times gets two chefs - Alysia Chan of the now-defunct Crackerjack in Tanjong Pagar and Bjorn Shen, owner of Artichoke in Middle Road - to re-create the chocolate treats.

Bjorn Shen's 'homage to awesome McDonald's pie'

Nevermind that McDonald's has sold out of its chocolate pies. Use frozen roti prata to make crispy pies filled with salted dark chocolate pudding instead. Artichoke's chef-owner Bjorn Shen demonstrates how to make these sweet-salty treats.

Missed out on McDonald's chocolate pie?

The sweet dessert sold out islandwide less than two weeks after it was introduced here on March 1.

That Instagramable dessert, priced at $1.40 each, was first introduced in South Korea. Subsequently, videos of the pie being cracked open to reveal its oozy filling went viral on social media.

The rectangular snack features a chocolate crust and a molten chocolate filling.

Chef Bjorn Shen, owner of Middle Eastern restaurant Artichoke, managed to try the chocolate snack before it sold out and says it was "amazing and tasted like it was worth more than it cost".

So when The Sunday Times asked if he could re-create the pie, he was only too happy to do so.

His version is made with frozen roti prata dough for a crispy crust. "It is a bit thicker than the original crust, but it will be just as crispy."

A rich chocolate pudding - made with dark or milk chocolate, balanced by a little sea salt - is used as the filling for the pies.

He says there is no alternative to deep-frying them.

"Don't think about baking them. The filling will explode from the seams. You need to fry them."

If making the dessert is too much trouble, head to Artichoke to get your hands on his version.

The Chocolate Salty Pie, priced at $5 each, will be available at Artichoke as a takeaway item until the end of this month.

The version at the restaurant has been tweaked to include premium ingredients such as Tahitian vanilla beans and Valrhona chocolate.

"This is an homage to the awesome McDonald's chocolate pie," the chef says.

CHOCOLATE PIE

INGREDIENTS

For chocolate pudding

250ml heavy cream
250ml milk
2/3 cup sugar
50g cocoa powder
1/3 cup cornflour
2/3 cup water
400g dark or milk chocolate couverture, roughly chopped
Sea salt to taste

For the pies

Eight to 10 frozen store-bought roti prata, uncooked (each about 15cm in diameter)
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup cocoa powder

METHOD

To make the pudding:

Mix the cream, milk, sugar and cocoa powder in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Mix the cornflour and water to get a slurry and drizzle it into the simmering mixture, stirring constantly.
Keep whisking and simmering until the mixture becomes thick. This should take about two minutes.
Remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate couverture until the mixture is smooth.
Add a couple of pinches of sea salt to the hot pudding, or as much as you fancy. Transfer to a piping bag and place in the chiller for about an hour until cool.

To make the pies:

Thaw the frozen prata. Each piece of dough typically comes sandwiched between two sheets of plastic. Remove the top plastic sheet, leaving the bottom sheet on.
When the dough is just soft enough to handle, pipe approximately 2 Tbs of the chocolate pudding onto the middle of each prata.
Bring two diagonal corners of the plastic sheet together, folding the dough into a semi-circle.
Pinch the seams to seal in the filling. Use a fork to crimp the edges of the dough for a tighter seal.
Repeat with the remaining prata dough. Place the pies in the chiller for about an hour to firm up.
Heat up the oil in a deep-fryer or deep pot to 170 deg C. Remove the plastic sheet from the pies and slowly slide them into the hot oil.
Fry for two to three minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oil and allow to cool slightly.
Mix the caster sugar and cocoa powder and sprinkle this over the pies. Alternatively, place the cocoa-sugar mixture in a bowl and toss the pies in it to coat.
Serve pies warm or at room temperature.

Makes eight to 10 pies

To make the pies more indulgent, add fresh berries, banana slices, nuts, peanut butter or marshmallows to the filling.

More Nutella in Alysia Chan's doughnut, please

Learn to make Nutella doughnuts from scratch with chef Alysia Chan, most recently the executive chef of Crackerjack and 28 HongKong Street. Glazed with a Nutella and dark chocolate icing, each one is filled with lush Nutella creme patisserie.

American doughnut company Krispy Kreme's Nutella-filled doughnutwas already a hit on social media before it was launched in Singapore.

The hazelnut spread-filled dessert made its debut in the Dominican Republic earlier this year, with videos of the snack going viral online.

The limited-edition doughnut, called Hazelnut OG, started selling in Singapore on March 17 and the chain will stop selling it after today.

According to a Krispy Kreme Singapore spokesman, the brand's nine stores have been selling more than 3,000 of the doughnuts every day.

"The doughnuts have been selling out daily, with some outlets selling out as quickly as 90 minutes after opening."

The sweet snack is basically Krispy Kreme's original glazed doughnuts with blobs of Nutella piped into the ring. They cost $3.30 each, 70 cents more than the regular original glazed doughnuts.

The spokesman says that Krispy Kreme Singapore might bring the doughnuts back "if there is an overwhelming demand".

So what can Nutella-loving foodies do in the meantime?

Chef Alysia Chan, a self-proclaimed doughnut fan, says piping Nutella into a doughnut is simple.

"All you need is a metal piping tip to pierce the doughnut and a piping bag for the filling. You can also use a resealable plastic bag."

For those who would like to try their hand at making doughnuts from scratch, she has a recipe for fluffy doughnuts that can be filled to the brim with Nutella creme.

Though her doughnut recipe takes nine hours, she says it is worth the wait.

"The long proof time for the dough gives it more flavour and makes it more airy."

Her recipe also makes round doughnuts, rather than the typical ring ones.

"I like doughnuts that are filled and oozy. The more filling, the better."

She adds that she found the Krispy Kreme Nutella version "underwhelming" since the amount of Nutella was "minuscule".

"For me, if I am going to have a Nutella doughnut, I want lots of Nutella."

Her version of the chocolate snack is filled with the hazelnut spread mixed with milk, eggs, sugar and flour.

"Pure Nutella is thick and doesn't ooze as much. The creme retains a good Nutella flavour, but has that satisfying flowing texture."

Her recipe also comes with a Nutella chocolate frosting and she says that those who want to add to their doughnuts can top them with sprinkles, toasted hazelnuts, crumbled Speculoos cookies or chocolate balls.

Another plus point? Each doughnut costs only about $1 to make from scratch.

NUTELLA DOUGHNUT

INGREDIENTS

For doughnuts

500g bread flour
65g sugar
10g salt
5g instant yeast
4 large eggs (each weighing 55g)
150ml water
125g softened unsalted butter
Corn oil for deep-frying

For Nutella pastry creme

1 litre milk
12 egg yolks
60g sugar
80g flour, sifted
800g Nutella

For Nutella chocolate frosting

140g dark chocolate
30g cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
240ml milk
240g Nutella
300g icing sugar

METHOD

To make the doughnuts:

Place all the ingredients except the butter and oil in a mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for six minutes.
Scrape the bowl and continue mixing, adding the butter a little at a time until it is incorporated into the dough. Continue mixing on medium speed for eight minutes, until the dough looks glossy and elastic.
Spray a bowl with non-stick cooking spray and place the dough in it. Sprinkle some flour over the dough. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the dough rest somewhere warm for two hours.
Punch down the dough and leave it to rest for another two hours in the refrigerator.
Portion the dough into 60g balls and place the balls onto an oiled tray. Wrap loosely with clingfilm and leave to proof for another two hours, or until each ball doubles in size.
Heat the oil in a deep pot until it reaches a temperature of 190 deg C. Fry the doughnuts in batches until they are brown. Do not overcrowd the fryer.
Wait until the doughnuts are cool before filling with creme and dipping in frosting.

To make the creme:

Bring the milk to a boil.
In a separate heat-proof bowl, mix egg yolks, sugar and sifted flour.
Pour boiling milk slowly and steadily into the egg mixture. Whisk the mixture as the milk is added.
Boil the mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly, then strain to get rid of any lumps.
Cool the mixture to room temperature before mixing in the Nutella.
Spoon the creme into a piping bag fitted with a metal piping tip to fill the doughnuts.

To make the frosting:

Place all the ingredients except the icing sugar into a metal bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water until the chocolate is melted.
Whisk in the icing sugar until the mixture is smooth.
If the texture is too thick, thin it by adding hot water one teaspoon at a time.

Makes 18 doughnuts

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