Soft Italian Cream-Filled Donuts (Printer-friendly)
Soft Italian donuts filled with vanilla cream and sugar coating
# What You’ll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 3/4 cup whole milk, lukewarm
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
08 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ Frying and Coating
09 - Vegetable oil for frying
10 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar for dusting
→ Pastry Cream
11 - 2 cups whole milk
12 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
13 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
14 - 4 large egg yolks
15 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
16 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl or stand mixer. Add warm milk, eggs, vanilla, and softened butter. Mix until a soft dough forms, then knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, approximately 1–1.5 hours.
02 - Punch down the risen dough and roll out to 3/4-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut out rounds using a 3-inch round cutter. Place rounds on parchment-lined trays, cover loosely, and let rise for another 30–45 minutes.
03 - Heat milk in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a separate bowl until pale and smooth. Slowly pour hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking continuously. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla and butter until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap directly touching the surface and chill until ready to use.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in a large, heavy pot to 350°F. Fry 2–3 donuts at a time for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to paper towels to drain. While still warm, roll donuts in granulated sugar to coat evenly.
05 - Once donuts have cooled, poke a small hole in the side of each using a small knife or piping tip. Fill a piping bag with chilled pastry cream and pipe generously into each donut until filled.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The moment you bite through that crisp sugar shell into pillowy soft dough, youll understand why Italians queue for these at breakfast
- Homemade pastry cream puts anything store bought to shame, rich and velvety with pure vanilla flavor
02 -
- I ruined my first batch by frying oil that was too hot, leaving raw centers and burnt exteriors. Use a thermometer or test with a wooden chopstick. If bubbles form steadily around it, you are at the right temperature.
- Underfilling these donuts is the biggest tragedy. Keep piping until you feel the donut grow slightly heavier in your hand. That moment when cream first bursts through the crust is pure magic.
03 -
- Use a star tip for piping instead of a round one. The ridges help grip the donut interior so the cream distributes more evenly throughout the center.
- Let the oil return to temperature between batches. Rushing this step leads to soggy oily donuts that nobody wants to eat.