The 'Greatest Dessert on Earth' Starts With a Krispy Kreme Doughnut

We often admire celebrity chefs for the aspirational plates they put out. Whether we are watching them from behind a TV screen or experiencing their famous dishes firsthand at their restaurants, we love to see what they're cooking up and how they're presenting it. But oftentimes, we're not recreating a consommé with lobster tortellini, tonkotsu ramen with homemade noodles, or cronuts from scratch (though Chef John has a two-part recipe if you're interested). Those are the dishes we look forward to ordering after waiting a month for a reservation or hours in line.

So what if all it took to whip up a decadent chef-approved dessert was two store-bought ingredients and a frying pan? We'd all be cooking like the pros. Well, as it happens, that's exactly what David Chang suggests makes up the "greatest dessert on Earth."

This Krispy Kreme Dessert Is ‘The Best Thing I’ve Ever Had in My Life'

Chang is a renowned chef and founder of the Momofuku restaurant group—with a couple of Michelin stars, James Beard awards, and shows to his name. But where the TV personality is proving his relatability these days (other than through his love of the microwave and his hot take on burger cooking) is by doctoring up a Krispy Kreme doughnut to serve for dessert.

While we have heard from the brand itself that microwaving your Krispy Kreme for 8 seconds is the best way to reheat doughnuts, Chang takes things one step further in his latest show on Netflix, "Dinner Time Live with David Chang."

The first episode of his newest show features Chang cooking, in real-time, for guests Rashida Jones and Steven Yeun. Magic happens when a pan comes out with three fluffy glazed pastries ready to be transformed.

Jones is all of us when she proclaims, "Oh my god, what?! Doughnuts...DOUGHNUTS!" Yeun then excitedly asks, "Is that Krispy Kreme?"

Chang is introducing his dish, "It's like the best thing I've ever had in my life...Just a pan-fried store-bought doughnut," when Jones asks, "Is that cheating, are you cheating?" Chang simply replies, "I don't care." Because honestly, what is better than a hot, crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside doughnut?

To elevate the treat further, Chang adds melted Milk Bar Cereal Milk Ice Cream from Christina Tosi to the dish and tops it all off with another scoop of the frozen ice cream.

As the celebs dig in, Yeun proclaims, "That's the move" while Jones adds "It's a wrap." They're both convinced.

We're convinced too, we'll be trying this ASAP—complete with the melted ice cream crème anglaise trick he uses, just like Ina Garten.

How to Make Pan-Fried Krispy Kreme Doughnuts With Melted Ice Cream

Chang gives more details on the non-recipe recipe via the Netflix show's page:

“I wish I could take credit for this, but a friend invented this dessert and it changed my life...This dessert could go toe to toe with anything in a Michelin-starred restaurant. It works with any glazed yeasted doughnut, but I do prefer Krispy Kreme. I keep a box of them in the freezer, so I can pull this out any time.”

Ingredients

• 1 glazed yeasted doughnut, preferably Krispy Kreme
• 2/3 cup vanilla ice cream

Directions

1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place the doughnut in the pan, and cook for a few minutes on each side, until the sugar begins to pull like caramel, and the doughnut is crisp on both sides.
2. While the doughnut cooks, melt a couple spoonfuls of ice cream in the microwave. Place in the bottom of a bowl.
3. Top with the doughnut, and the remaining unmelted ice cream.