Italian Bomboloni Doughnuts
Light and fluffy Italian bomboloni doughnuts filled with smooth pastry cream, fried to golden perfection, and rolled in sugar for a delightful dessert treat.
Equipment
- 1 mixer with dough hook for kneading dough
- 1 cookie cutter or glass to cut doughnuts
- 1 deep pan or pot for frying
- 1 plastic wrap to cover dough for proving
- 1 piping bag to fill doughnuts with pastry cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups strong bread flour about 8 3/4 oz
- 2 cups 00 or all-purpose flour about 8 3/4 oz
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 6 1/2 tablespoons softened butter about 3 oz
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 3 1/2 oz
- 1/2 cup lukewarm milk 4 fl oz
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 teaspoons fast action yeast 1 packet, about 1/4 oz
- small pinch of salt
- 2-3 tablespoons caster or powdered sugar for rolling doughnuts
- sunflower or vegetable oil for frying
- 5 egg yolks for pastry cream
- 2 1/2 cups milk 1/2 liter
- 1/4 cup cornstarch about 1 oz
- 1/3 cup sugar 2 1/2 oz
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or 1 vanilla bean
- zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Combine flours, sugar, and yeast in a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Scatter softened butter cubes evenly over the flour mixture, then add eggs, lukewarm milk, vanilla, and salt.
- Attach the dough hook to the mixer and knead the dough on low speed for 10 minutes until smooth.
- Turn the dough onto a clean surface and shape it into a smooth ball by kneading lightly 2-3 times.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and leave to prove for 2 to 3 hours or until tripled in size.
- Once risen, punch the dough down to release air, knead briefly, then roll out into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle.
- Cut rounds about 3 1/2 inches in diameter using a cookie cutter or glass.
- Place dough rounds on parchment-lined surface, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and prove for 1 to 1.5 hours until tripled in size.
- While doughnuts prove, prepare the pastry cream: whisk egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth.
- Add cornstarch to the egg mixture and whisk thoroughly.
- Heat milk until hot but not boiling, slowly whisk into egg mixture, then return to saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and becomes creamy, then remove from heat and cool.
- Heat oil in a deep pan to 170°C (337°F) for frying.
- Carefully place doughnuts into hot oil, remove parchment immediately, and fry for 2 minutes on each side until golden.
- Drain doughnuts on paper towels then roll in caster or powdered sugar; let cool before filling.
- Make a small incision on the side of each doughnut with a knife.
- Fill a piping bag with pastry cream and pipe it into each doughnut through the incision.
- Serve immediately or store doughnuts in an airtight container for 1 to 2 days.
Notes
- Use minimal flour when rolling dough to avoid toughness.
- Dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky when kneading.
- Store filled bomboloni in airtight containers for up to 2 days.