Description
Bomboloni alla Crema are Italian cream-filled doughnuts that are soft, fluffy, and fried to golden perfection. These delightful pastries are filled with a smooth, rich pastry cream and dusted with powdered sugar, making them an irresistible treat perfect for breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 packet (7g) instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup whole milk, warmed
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
Pastry Cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Others
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
- Powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Make the Dough: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt evenly. Slowly mix in the warmed milk, eggs, and melted butter. Optionally, add lemon zest for extra flavor. Knead the mixture for about 10 minutes until it forms a smooth and elastic dough.
- Let Dough Rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and allow it to rise in a warm environment until doubled in size, which should take about 1 hour.
- Prepare Pastry Cream: Heat the milk and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks and cornstarch until smooth. Gradually pour the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking continuously to prevent curdling. Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens. Remove from heat, then stir in vanilla extract and butter. Let the pastry cream cool completely.
- Shape the Bomboloni: Roll out the risen dough to about ½ inch (1.25 cm) thickness. Use a round cutter to cut circles from the dough.
- Fry the Doughnuts: Heat vegetable oil to 350°F (175°C) in a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot. Carefully fry the dough circles in batches until they are golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
- Fill with Cream: Once the bomboloni have cooled slightly but are still warm, use a piping bag fitted with a round tip to fill each doughnut with the cooled pastry cream from the side.
- Finish and Serve: Dust the filled bomboloni generously with powdered sugar and serve fresh.
Notes
- Ensure the milk for the dough is warm, not hot, to activate the yeast without killing it.
- Kneading the dough well develops gluten, resulting in a fluffy texture.
- Allow the pastry cream to cool completely before filling to prevent melting the doughnuts.
- Maintain the frying oil temperature to ensure even cooking and prevent greasy bomboloni.
- Bomboloni are best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
