Bomboloni Cream Donuts (Printable)
Soft Italian donuts filled with rich vanilla pastry cream and sugar-coated for a sweet treat.
# What You Need:
→ Dough
01 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 3/4 cup whole milk, lukewarm
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
08 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ Frying and Coating
09 - Vegetable oil for frying
10 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar for dusting
→ Pastry Cream
11 - 2 cups whole milk
12 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
13 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
14 - 4 large egg yolks
15 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
16 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
# Steps:
01 - Combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl or stand mixer. Add warm milk, eggs, vanilla, and softened butter. Mix to form a soft dough, then knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 1.5 hours.
02 - Punch down the risen dough and roll out to 3/4-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut out rounds using a 3-inch round cutter. Place rounds on parchment-lined trays, cover loosely, and let rise for another 30–45 minutes.
03 - Heat milk in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl until pale and smooth. Slowly pour hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking continuously. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla and butter until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and chill until ready to use.
04 - Heat oil in a large, heavy pot to 350°F. Fry 2–3 donuts at a time for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to paper towels. While warm, roll in granulated sugar to coat evenly.
05 - Once cooled, poke a hole in the side of each donut with a small knife or piping tip. Fill a piping bag with chilled pastry cream and pipe generously into each donut until filled.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dough comes together faster than you would expect, and the smell of frying donuts makes everyone wander into the kitchen pretending to need something
- That moment you bite through the crisp sugar coating into the cool cream is absolutely worth the occasional oil splatter on your stove
02 -
- I once skipped the second rise because I was impatient, and the donuts came out dense and sad, so please do not rush that step
- The oil temperature matters more than anything, too cool and they get greasy, too hot and they burn outside while staying raw inside
03 -
- Warm your bowl in hot water before making the dough, it helps the yeast activate faster
- Save your egg whites in the freezer for future meringues or macarons instead of throwing them away