Bomboloni (Italian Filled Doughnuts)

Vanilla pastry cream

• 400 ml Whole milk
• 90 g Caster sugar
• 30 g Cornflour
• 1 pinch Fine sea salt
• 2 Egg
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 25 g Unsalted butter
• 1 medium Lemon

Bomboloni dough and finishing

• 350 g Plain flour
• 7 g Instant yeast
• 80 g Caster sugar
• 1 tsp Fine sea salt
• 150 ml Whole milk
• 2 Egg
• 60 g Unsalted butter
• 1.2 liters Sunflower oil
• 120 g Caster sugar

1. Make the pastry cream first so it can chill. Use a microplane or fine grater to zest the lemon, then squeeze a little juice and set both aside.
2. In a saucepan, warm the milk with the lemon zest over medium heat until steaming but not boiling. In a bowl, whisk the sugar, cornflour, salt and eggs until smooth.
3. Pour the hot milk into the egg mixture in a steady stream, whisking constantly, then return everything to the pan. Cook over medium heat, whisking, for 2 to 4 minutes until thick and glossy and the whisk leaves clear trails.
4. Take off the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla extract and 1 tsp lemon juice. Tip into a bowl, cover the surface closely, and chill until cold and pipeable.
5. For the dough, warm the milk until just lukewarm. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt, then add the milk and eggs and mix to a shaggy dough.
6. Knead on medium speed for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add the butter a little at a time and keep kneading for 4 to 6 minutes until the dough is glossy and pulls cleanly from the bowl.
7. Shape the dough into a ball and put it in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and leave in a warm place until doubled in size.
8. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll to about 1.5 cm thick. Cut 10 rounds, then cover and leave to puff up until noticeably lighter and slightly risen.
9. Heat the sunflower oil in a large pot to 170°C (340°F). Fry the doughnuts in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deep golden, adjusting the heat to keep the temperature steady.
10. Lift out and drain briefly, then roll the warm doughnuts in the caster sugar to coat. Let them cool for 5 minutes so the filling does not melt.
11. Whisk the chilled pastry cream until smooth, then spoon it into a piping bag. Poke a small hole in the side of each doughnut and pipe in the cream until you feel resistance and the doughnut feels heavier.

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