Preparation of the Pastry Cream
- Prepare the Ingredients :
- In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the cornstarch and mix until fully incorporated.
- Heating the Milk :
- In a saucepan, heat the milk with the vanilla pod cut in half and the scraped seeds.
- Bring almost to the boil, then remove the vanilla pod.
- Cook the Cream :
- Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, stirring constantly.
- Transfer everything back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the cream thickens.
- Remove from the heat, cover with cling film in contact with the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming, and leave to cool.
Making the Donut Dough
- Activate the Yeast :
- Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk with a teaspoon of sugar and leave to rest for 10 minutes until it foams.
- Prepare the dough :
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar and pinch of salt.
- Make a hole in the center and add the eggs, soft butter, vanilla extract and milk with the activated yeast.
- Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. You may need to add a little more flour if the dough is too sticky.
- Leavening :
- Form the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean cloth and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in volume.
- Forming the Donuts :
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until about 1cm thick.
- Use a round cookie cutter to cut out donuts. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Second Leavening :
- Cover the donuts with a tea towel and let them rise for another 30-45 minutes.
Cooking Donuts
- Fry or Bake :
- Frying : Heat the seed oil to 170-180°C in a large saucepan. Fry the donuts a few at a time until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
- Baking : Preheat the oven to 180°C. Brush the donuts with a little milk or melted butter and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Donut Filling
- Fill with Cream :
- Use a piping bag with a long, narrow nozzle to fill the donuts with the cooled pastry cream.
- To decorate :
- If desired, dust the filled donuts with powdered sugar or cover them with sugar glaze.
Advice
- Baked Variation : For a lighter version, you can bake the donuts instead of frying them.
- Pastry Cream : If you prefer, you can flavor the pastry cream with lemon or orange zest.
- Storage : Donuts are best eaten the same day, but can be stored in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
Enjoy your meal!
