Homemade Chocolate Cronuts

Heat oil in a deep saucepan or deep-fat fryer to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Watch Now

Spread out an 8-ounce container of refrigerated crescent dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pinch the perforated edges together and fold 1/3 of the dough over the center third; fold opposite 1/3 of dough over first third. Lightly sprinkle the dough with flour and roll it out, pressing firmly together so that the layers don't separate completely during frying. Watch Now

Fold the dough into thirds again in the opposite direction; sprinkle dough with flour and use a rolling pin to roll it into a rectangle measuring about 4x7 inches. Watch Now

Use a 3-inch cookie cutter to cut 2 circles from the dough. Then use a 1-inch cookie cutter to cut holes from the centers of the 3-inch rounds to make flat doughnut-like shapes. Watch Now

Repeat the steps with the remaining 8-ounce container of refrigerated crescent dough. You will now have 4 cronuts to fry. Reserve the holes and the dough scraps for frying as well, if you wish. Watch Now

Carefully lower cronuts into the heated oil, working in batches if necessary, and fry on one side until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip cronuts and fry until other sides are golden brown, 2 to 3 more minutes. Cronuts will puff up during frying. Remove the cronuts to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Watch Now

Fill a plastic squeeze bottle with a long, pointed tip or a pastry bag fitted with a medium tip with vanilla pudding. Push the bottle tip into the side of a cronut and squeeze 1 or 2 teaspoons of vanilla pudding into the pastry; continue filling pastry from the side with several more holes spaced around the edge of the cronut. Repeat, filling remaining cronuts with pudding. Watch Now

Place chopped bittersweet chocolate into a heatproof mixing bowl. Pour cream into a small saucepan over low heat. Heat cream almost to a boil, stirring constantly; pour hot cream over chocolate. Whisk until chocolate has melted and mixture is warm and smooth. Dip tops of cronuts in warm ganache, place on a serving platter, and let cool until ganache has set, about 5 minutes. Watch Now