Vanillekrapfen | Sweet Cream filled rolls

Sweet yeasted buns filled with vanilla cream and dusted with powdered sugar, these Vanillekrapfen are a classic German bakery item perfect for an afternoon snack!

What are Vanillekrapfen?

Krapfen are a type of donut but these are baked rather than fried and rolled in sugar before being filled with vanilla cream.

Instant Yeast vs. Active Dry Yeast?

Either yeast can be used in this recipe and the amount will stay the same for both. The only difference is that with active dry yeast, the yeast must first be “bloomed” in the warm milk before the other ingredients can be added – as shown in the recipe. Whereas instant yeast can be added and mixed into the flour and sugar directly.

Vanilla Pudding from scratch vs. from a box?

Usually, I will always recommend making food from scratch. However, in this recipe I do use a box mix of vanilla pudding because it makes the recipe much simpler and I have been able to find box mixes without a lot of chemicals or add-ins.

Can these be made in advance?

Yes, the rolls can be baked the day before and kept in an airtight container but I recommend filling them on the same day you plan to eat them. Ideally I would only make the pudding the day before to let it set in the fridge overnight and then bake and fill them in the morning/next day.

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Tips for making Vanillekrapfen

• As with most yeast doughs, do not stop kneading until the dough is super smooth and the edges of the bowl are clean. This can take up to 10-15 minutes on low speed.
• When dividing and shaping the rolls, always start with the same portion of dough. This means that the first piece that is divided, is also the first to be shaped in a ball.
• Wait for the rolls to cool completely before trying to fill them.
• The vanilla pudding needs to be fully cooled before mixing it with the whipped cream. I recommend putting a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the pudding as it cools to prevent it from forming a skin.

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Ingredients

• All Purpose Flour: Any all purpose flour will work for these! I have not yet tried any other flours with this recipe.
• Eggs: I use standard large eggs from the store. This recipe uses one full egg and one egg yolk. The egg yolk adds extra richness to the rolls.
• Sugar: This recipe uses sugar in the dough as well as on the outside for decoration. There is also sugar in the vanilla pudding.
• Milk: The krapfen use milk as the liquid in the dough and the vanilla pudding; however, they will also work with non-dairy milks such as almond or light coconut milk.
• Butter: The butter adds moisture to the buns as well as makes them softer! It’s important that the butter is at room temperature, otherwise it will cool down the dough and be difficult to incorporate.
• Yeast: In this recipe, active dry yeast is used. However, if you are using instant yeast, add the flour, sugar and yeast into the bowl, whisk together, and then add the remaining ingredients
• Vanilla extract: I like to add a teaspoon of vanilla to give the buns extra flavor.
• Vanilla Pudding Mix: As mentioned before this recipe can be made with homemade vanilla pudding, but when short on time, mix can be very helpful.
• Heavy Cream: Heavy cream is used to make the whipped cream which is then folded into the chilled pudding to give it a light and airy texture.

How to make Vanillestange

Vanilla pudding

• If making instant vanilla pudding, follow the instructions on the box but use half as much milk as is called for on the package. Then chill in the fridge for an hour.
• If making cooked vanilla pudding, follow the instructions on the box but use half as much milk as is called for on the package. Cook until it thickens and then chill in the fridge for an hour. Place a sheet of plastic wrap onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming.

Make the dough

• Start by warming the milk until it is just warm to the touch – it should not exceed 100 degrees F.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, add in the flour and sugar. Then whisk it together by hand and make a well in the center of the flour. Pour the yeast into the well and then add the warmed milk.
• Using a spoon stir in some of the flour/sugar mixture into the milk and yeast mixture. It should only be about 1/4 cup of the flour from the edges of the well.
• Then cover the bowl with a towel for 10 minutes.
• After the ten minutes you will notice that the mixture in the well is bubbling. Then using a rubber spatula give the whole bowl a brief mix.
• Now add in the egg and egg yolk, butter, and vanilla extract. Knead the mixture with the dough hook on the stand mixer for 10-15 minutes on low speed until it is smooth and the bowl is clean.
• Remove the dough and shape it into a ball. Lightly grease the mixing bowl that you were just using and place the ball of dough back in. Then cover the bowl with a towel or plastic and place somewhere warm for 30-45 min. The dough should double in size.

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Shape & Bake the Krapfen

• Preheat the oven to 350 F or 325 F if baking on convection. Arrange two racks so that they divide the oven into thirds.
• Line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
• After the dough has grown, divide it into 12 equal portions. As you go, shape each portion into a ball by first flattening it slightly into a disk and then tucking all the edges of the disk under. Shape your hand into a claw over the ball of dough with the smooth side face up. Roll the ball around in your hand on a clean work surface to create tension on the dough and seal the seem on the bottom of the ball.
• Place 6 rolls onto each baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches between each roll.
• Leave the rolls to rest for 20 minutes somewhere warm to proof.
• After the 20 minutes have passed, bake the rolls for 15 minutes – rotate the baking sheets halfway through if not baking on convection.
• When the krapfen are finished baking, work one at a time and brush them with butter and then roll them in granulated sugar.
• Leave to cool before assembling.

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Assemble

• Use an electric whisk to beat the chilled vanilla pudding until smooth if the pudding is very stiff. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the heavy cream on medium high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold the stiff whipped cream into the vanilla pudding.
• Fill the cream filling into a piping bag fitted with a metal piping tip.
• Poke a hole in the side of each roll using the end of a spoon and wiggle it around to create a larger hole in the center of the bun. Be careful not to poke through the other side of the bun.
• Push the piping tip into the opening and fill until the filling starts to come back out.

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