Cruffin Recipe: This Easy Cruffins Recipe Is What Happens When a Croissant Meets a Muffin by Chef Gigi

Like the cronut, a modern-day mashup of croissant doughnut pastry invented by New York City pastry chef Dominique Ansel, this is a cruffin. A cruffin is a combination of, yes, you guessed it, a croissant and a muffin.

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 2 tablespoons dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 cup water, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup milk, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup currants, mixed raisins or dried fruit, rehydrated in water or brandy (optional)
• 1/2 - 1 stick butter, softened (for filling)

Additional Ingredients for Baking

• nonstick cooking spray and flour, for dusting the pan
• powdered sugar, for dusting

Special Equipment

• tall specialty cylinder baking vessel or coffee can

Here's how to make it: 

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the water, milk and sprinkle the surface with the yeast. Set aside and allow the yeast to reactivate until frothy. If your yeast is fresh, this should only take about 10 minutes. Fit the mixer with the dough hook.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the sugar, salt and flour. Whisk to combine.
3. When the yeast is frothy, add the dry ingredients in two batches, adding the egg in between additions. Allow the stand mixer to knead the dough until it forms a shaggy mass, about 3 minutes. 
4. Add the plumped dry fruit and discard the hydration liquid. Add the butter and allow the mixer to knead the dough for an additional 5 to 8 minutes. The dough should look smooth and spring back to touch.
5. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and leave it in a warm location to rise for about 45 minutes.
6. After the dough has doubled in size, turn the dough out onto a clean non-floured work surface and roll roughly into a 13x8-inch rectangle. Spread the dough with softened butter. Roll it up into a log.
7. Cut the roll through the middle, twist the bottom end and fold it up in half. Twist the bottom again, fitting it deep into a generously greased and floured coffee can or cylinder baking vessel. Rest it again covered for 30 minutes before baking.
8. Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until puffy and golden. Cool slightly and remove from the vessel. Dust with powdered sugar.

Variations

• Add any dried fruit you like: dried blueberries, peaches, pears, plums or dried apricots. Make sure to chop them into bite-sized pieces first and rehydrate in some liquid. 
• Add chopped nuts.
• Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
• If you want a deep savory flavor, add sea salt on the butter or everything bagel seasoning.
• Portion dough into equal-sized pieces instead and use a muffin pan instead.

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