Doughnuts Filled with Meyer Lemon Pastry Cream (Bomboloni con Crema al Limone)

Homemade doughnuts? Why not! While it may sound a bit daunting, it’s not nearly as difficult as it sounds, it just requires a bit of planning. Most of the time is hands off, just prep the dough and set it in the fridge overnight and I promise you, the results are incredible! In this recipe, the doughnut is made from a brioche dough, then stuffed with a Meyer lemon pastry cream and rolled in granulated sugar to give it added texture. The result is heavenly, a light and tender doughnut stuffed with silky lemon infused pastry cream and a sugary crust that sticks to your lips with every bite!

Note: These doughnuts can be customized any way you like. Fill a pastry bag with Nutella, or your favorite jelly or custard, or make a few of each. You can even glaze the doughnuts instead of rolling them in sugar. Dip them in melted chocolate or a maple glaze. Let your imagination run wild!

To begin, grease a large bowl with oil, or a non stick spray. Put the flour and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, and then add the sugar, salt, milk, eggs, and vanilla paste (or extract) and mix on low speed for 5 minutes.

Add the butter a few pieces at a time, making sure each batch is fully incorporated before adding the next. Continue until all the butter has been added to the dough. Mix for a total of 30 minutes on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl, as necessary.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and use a rolling pin to form a rectangle. Don’t worry if it is not perfectly shaped, it really doesn’t matter.

Fold the left side over to the right, the right over to the left,

Then, the top to the bottom and the bottom to the top so you have an envelope with the seam at the top.

Place the dough seam-side down in the prepared bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. This prevents the dough from developing a skin as it rests. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside for 1 hour. After the dough has rested, repeat the folding process, put it back in the bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

For the pastry cream, combine the milk and lemon zest in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. When the milk begins to steam, remove it from the heat. Do not allow the milk to boil. Set the mixture aside to cool.

• Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs and sugar together for about a minute.

Sift the cornstarch and salt and then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and continue to whisk, until the mixture is homogeneous.

• While the stand mixer is continuously whisking, add a cup of the milk to the egg mixture. Gradually add all the hot milk.

Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and over medium heat, whisk continuously for about 5 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Do not allow it to come to a boil. Once the mixture has thickened, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. Add the butter and whisk it into the mixture until it is fully incorporated.

Transfer the mixture to a glass bowl, cover it with plastic wrap in direct contact with the pastry cream. Allow it to cool for 15-20 minutes and then refrigerate until ready to use.

• After the dough has set in the refrigerator overnight, lightly flour your work surface and roll out the dough to a 12 inch wide circle. Using a 3″ biscuit cutter, cut out as many rounds of dough as you can. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet until you are ready to fry them. Use a small biscuit cutter or even a knife to make doughnut holes out of the scraps, re-rolling the dough as necessary. I never let any of the dough go to waste!

Transfer the doughnuts to a parchment lined baking sheet, cover them with plastic wrap and allow them to proof for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. The yeast will continue to ferment, releasing gasses that will cause the dough to rise.

Meanwhile, fill a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven with vegetable oil, making sure there is at least 3 inches of oil in the pot. Heat the oil to 350°F.  

Then, set up your frying station. Place a cooling rack and a bowl filled with granulated sugar near the pot of oil. Once the doughnuts are proofed, remove the plastic wrap and place them near your pot of oil. Using a kitchen spider, lower one doughnut at a time into the oil. I was able to fit about three at a time, but don’t overcrowd the pot or you will lower your oil temperature. Fry for 2 minutes, or until the doughnut is golden brown and then flip it and fry on the other side for 1 minute.

Once the doughnut is cooked, remove it from the oil and place it on the cooling rack. Allow it to cool slightly and then transfer it to the bowl of granulated sugar, rolling it around so the sugar sticks to all sides of the doughnut. Place it back on the cooling rack and repeat the process with the rest of the doughnuts.

Once all the doughnuts are cooked, fill the piping bag with the pastry cream. Using a knife, make a small slit on the side (or top) of the doughnut, carefully insert the piping tip and squeeze the pastry cream into the doughnut, filling it with as much cream as it will comfortably hold. As you fill the doughnut, pull the piping bag out slowly, so your doughnuts don’t explode from the pressure.

And savor! I guarantee they wont last long!