Homemade Donuts Recipe

Bavarian cream (vanilla pudding) filled donuts dusted with powdered sugar or strawberry filled.

Ingredients

Dough
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2/3 cup whole milk, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 eggs
7 Tablespoons (3 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, at room
temperature, cut into 8 pieces
Pastry Cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons heavy cream

For Frying
vegetable oil, enough to have 2 inches in your cooking pot

Glaze
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

Make the Dough

In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, stir together yeast and milk; let stand until yeast is dissolved, about 1 minute.

Add the flour, sugar, salt and eggs; mix on low speeduntil the dough comes together, about 3 minutes. Add the butter, two pieces at a time, mixing after eachaddition and until butter is fully incorporated anddough is soft, a total of 5 to 6 minutes.

Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 6 hours.

Pastry Cream

In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, flour and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks until well combined, about 30 seconds.Slowly mix in the flour mixture until thick and pasty.In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk until bubbles just start to form around the edges (do not let the milk boil).Remove the milk from the heat and slowly drizzle into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.

Scrape the egg mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil, about 3 minutes.

Boil, whisking, for 10 seconds (the cream will become thick and glossy and won't have any foam on top), thenimmediately remove from heat.

Pour the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve set over a small bowl and whisk in the vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap against the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for 4 hours.

Prepare the Doughnuts

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease the paper; set aside.

Place the refrigerated dough on a well-floured work surface and gently roll into a 12-inch square (it should be about ½-inch thick). Cut the dough into 9 donuts using a 3½-inch round cutter.

Transfer the donuts to the prepared baking sheet, cover with a piece of plastic wrap that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, and place in a warm spot until they've doubled in height and are soft and poofie; 2 to 3 hours.

Fry the Donuts

Fill a large, heavy-bottomed pot with 3 inches of oil and place over medium-high heat until it reaches 350˚ F on a deep-fry thermometer.

While the oil heats, line a baking sheet with a doublelayer of paper towels for draining the doughnuts.

Working with three donuts at a time, carefully lower thedonuts into the hot oil and fry until golden brown on theunderside, 2 to 3 minutes.

Carefully turn the donuts and fry for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until the other side is golden brown as well.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the doughnuts to thepaper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with theremaining doughnuts

As soon as the doughnuts are cool enough to handle, dip them in the glaze.Return the doughnuts to the paper towel-lined pan and allow to cool completely, 30 to 40 minutes.

Fill the Donuts

While you're waiting for the doughnuts to cool, beat the 6 tablespoons of heavy cream on medium-high speed until still peaks form. Whisk the chilled pastry cream to loosen it up, then gently fold in one-third of the whipped cream. Fold in the remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain.

Transfer the cream to a pastry bag fitting with a small round decorating tip (a Wilton #12 works well for this). Poke a hole in the side of each doughnut and fill with pastry cream. The doughnuts should be served as soon as they are filled. They are best the same day they are made.