How to Make Bomboloni - Italian Cream-Stuffed Donuts

Say hello to my bomboloni: sinfully delicious Italian donuts filled with rich custard cream

I'm so excited to share this recipe with you today. 

Not only because it took me quite a while to get this recipe together, but mostly because I know that this recipe will have you itching to dash to your kitchen and try it right now!

At first glance, these might look like your regular (read boring) cream-filled donuts, but oh-nooooo. 

Today I present you these Italian bomboloni which are, as the name suggests, puffy big bombs made with a sweet and pillowy-soft dough, fried to perfection, and filled with a delicate and rich Italian vanilla pastry cream.

Unlike most donuts, the dough on this is a little denser, more flavorful, and less sweet. 

You will find these stuffed with marmalade or chocolate spread. Or like I did today (and by far my favorite) with crema pasticciera (Italian pastry cream). 

Take a look! 

Heaven on a plate. 

As I mentioned, I've made bomboloni three times recently. Ok, ok, I'll be honest: at least five!  

And I'm not even ashamed to admit it. 

NOT. 

Ashamed. 

At all! 

I simply wanted to make sure I got the recipe just right. To find THE perfect bombolone to share with you. So technically, I've stuffed myself with all these donuts: Just. For. You! A selfless act of kindness, one might say ;)

Now it's your turn to try these. As you will see, the recipe is a little long, but after all not all that hard, especially if you own a stand mixer like I do. 

Scroll down for the printable recipe card.

You can really just add all the dough ingredients in the mixer bowl at once (but the milk). Mix to combine, add the milk and just sit and observe the machine do all the kneading.

This is the mixer I bought myself this past December. It was on sale (woohoo!!). Best gift EVER.  I use it all the time now to make pizza dough, bread, and lots of cakes or cookies. It's a game changer for sure.

If you don't own a stand mixer you can use any mixer to start off the recipe. And once you get to the end, you will need to move the dough to the counter and knead for several minutes until you end up with a soft and elastic dough. 

It's actually a fun workout and quite therapeutic indeed (or is that just me?!?).

VIDEO RECIPE: Italian Cream-stuffed bomboloni (donuts)

These donuts are best when eaten within one day. I know, easy right?!?

And remember, the custard cream needs to be stored in the refrigerator. So once you add the cream filling to the the bomboloni, they should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator too!

Here is my bomboloni recipe for you.. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

YIELD: 12 bomboloni 

• 2 cups (260 gr) bread flour
• 2 cups (260 gr) all-purpose flour
• 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons, 7 gr) active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup (70 gr) granulated sugar
• 1/2  teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla  extract
• 2 oz (65 gr) unsalted butter, soften at room temperature
• 1 cup (235 ml) milk, warm 
• oil for frying (vegetable oil or light olive oil)
• powdered sugar to decorate

For the custard cream:

• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup (50 gr) sugar
• 1/4 cup (30 gr) all-purpose flour 
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups  (475  ml) whole milk, warm 

PREPARATION:

TIME: 30 minutes to prepare plus 4 hours or more inactive

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or any large bowl), add the two types of flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix to combine.

Beat the eggs in a small bowl, and add to the dry ingredients, with the soft butter cut into cubes and the vanilla extract.

 Mix.

Add the warm milk and mix some more.

If you have, change to an a hook attachment, and knead for several minutes. 

If you don't have a mixer that can knead, move the dough to a clean counter and knead for several minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough is quite sticky and soft, so it won't be too hard to knead.
Make into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and kitchen towel and let rest for 2 hours or until double in size.
While you wait, you can make the custard cream: In another medium size pan, whisk well the egg yolks with the sugar. 

Add flour and corn starch and whisk some more until smooth and fluffy. 

Add a little bit of the warm milk to the egg mixture, whisking well so that no lumps form. Whisk in the rest of the milk.
Place the pan over medium heat and stir continuously until it reaches a slow boil. The cream will thicken, so be careful not to let it stick to the bottom. Whisk in the vanilla extract. 

Lower the flame and cook for a couple of more minutes, until you reach the desire thickness.
Pour the cream in a bowl and let it cook down. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

When the dough is doubled in size, move to a lightly floured surface and roll out into a rectangle about 1 inch in height. Fold into three parts (like you would do for a letter).

Rotate sideways by 90 degrees, roll out and fold again.
Cover with plastic and a clean dish towel. Let the dough rise for one hour.
Roll out into a 1/2 inch in thickness. 

Cut with round a cookie cutter, disks or cups.

Mine are 4 inches in diameter and I was able to get 12 donuts. 

Make sure to use the cutout and roll some more. You can also cut in similar-sized balls and roll each one out
Cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for one more hour.
In a frying pan, add enough oil to cover 1/2 inch in height. Heat the oil over a medium-high flame.
When you see bubbles form around a wooden spoon (or measure the temperature of the oil with a frying  thermometer till you reach 335-349F) turn down the heat to medium and fry the bomboloni in the hot oil, a few at a time only (don't over-crowd the pan). Cook on one side and turn over as soon as they are golden brown and fluffy. It should take about 1 to 2 minutes per side. 

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towels to remove the excess oil, and let cool down. When cool fill each with some of the custard cream. My suggestion is to place the cream in a large pastry bag, and inject the cream on the side. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve!

RECIPE CARD: ITALIAN CREAM STUFFED BOMBOLONI

How to Make Bomboloni - Italian Cream-Stuffed Donuts

Yield: 12

Author: Manuela Mazzocco

Prep time: 30 MinInactive time: 4 HourTotal time: 4 H & 30 M

Say hello to my bomboloni: sinfully delicious Italian donuts filled with rich custard cream

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 2 cups (260 gr) bread flour
• 2 cups (260 gr) all-purpose flour
• 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons, 7 gr) active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup (70 gr) sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 oz (65 gr) unsalted butter, soften
• 1 cup (235 ml) milk, warm
• oil for frying
• powdered sugar to decorate

For the custard cream:

• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup (50 gr) sugar
• 1/4 cup (30 gr) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups (475 ml) whole milk, warm

Instructions

1. In your stand mixer bowl (or any large bowl), add the two types of flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix to combine.
2. Beat the eggs in a small bowl, and add to the dry ingredients, with the soft butter cut in cubes and the vanilla extract. Mix.
3. Add the warm milk and mix some more. If you have, change to an a hook attachment, and knead for several minutes. If you don't have a mixer that can knead, move the dough to a clean counter and knead for several minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough is quite sticky and soft, so it won't be too hard to knead. Make into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and kitchen towel and let rest for 2 hours or until double in size.
4. While you wait, you can make the custard cream: In another medium size pan, whisk well the egg yolks with the sugar. Add flour and corn starch and whisk some more until smooth and fluffy.
5. Add a little bit of the warm milk to the egg mixture, whisking well so that no lumps form. Whisk in the rest of the milk. Place the pan over medium heat and stir continuously until it reaches a slow boil. The cream will thicken, so be careful not to let it stick to the bottom. Whisk in the vanilla extract. Lower the flame and cook for a couple of more minutes, until you reach the desire thickness. Pour the cream in a bowl and let it cook down. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
6. When the dough is doubled in size, move to a floured surface and roll out into a rectangle about 1 inch in height. Fold into three parts (like you would do for a letter). Rotate sideways by 90 degrees, roll out and fold again. Cover with plastic and towel. Let rest for one hour.
7. Roll out into a 1/2 inch in thickness. Cut with round cookie cutters, disks or cups. Mine are 4 inches in diameter and I was able to get 12 donuts. Make sure to use the cut out and roll some more. You can also cut in similar sized balls and roll each one out. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for one more hour.
8. In a frying pan, add enough oil to cover 1/2 inch in height. Heat the oil over medium-high flame.
9. When you see bubbles form around a wooden spoon, turn down heat to medium and fry the bomoloni a few at a time only (don't over-crowd the pan). Cook on one side and turn over as soon as hey are golden and fluffy. It should take about 1 to 2 minutes per side.
10. Drain on a paper towel and let cool down. When cool fill each with some of the custard cream. My suggestion is to place the cream in a piping bag, and inject the cream on the side. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve!

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @cookwithmanuela on instagram and hashtag it #cookwithmanuela