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Italian Custard Bomboloni Recipe

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4.8 from 114 reviews

Italian Custard Bomboloni are deliciously soft, fried doughnuts filled with rich, creamy vanilla custard and dusted with powdered sugar. These fluffy treats combine the lightness of a yeast dough with the indulgent texture of homemade custard, making them a perfect dessert or special breakfast delight.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk, lukewarm
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • Vegetable oil (for frying)

Custard Filling

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Finishing

  • Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Instructions

  1. Activate Yeast: In a large mixing bowl, combine lukewarm milk, granulated sugar, and instant yeast. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy, indicating the yeast is active.
  2. Make Dough: Add eggs, melted butter, and salt to the yeast mixture. Gradually incorporate the all-purpose flour, mixing until a soft dough forms.
  3. Knead Dough: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Add extra flour if the dough feels sticky.
  4. First Rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm area for 1 to 2 hours or until it doubles in size.
  5. Prepare Custard: While the dough rises, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Slowly add the whole milk while whisking to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.
  6. Temper Yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Gradually add a small amount of the hot custard mixture to the yolks to temper them, then return this mixture to the saucepan. Cook for an additional minute, remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface, and cool completely.
  7. Shape Bomboloni: Punch down the risen dough and roll it out to approximately 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out circular shapes and place them on a parchment-lined baking tray. Allow them to rise again for 30 minutes.
  8. Fry Doughnuts: Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or heavy pan to 350°F (175°C). Fry the dough rounds in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side until they are golden brown. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
  9. Fill Bomboloni: Transfer cooled custard to a piping bag fitted with a long nozzle and pipe the filling into each fried doughnut carefully.
  10. Finish and Serve: Dust the filled Bomboloni generously with powdered sugar and serve immediately for best flavor and texture.

Notes

  • Make sure the milk is lukewarm to activate the yeast properly without killing it.
  • When frying, maintain oil temperature at 350°F to cook doughnuts evenly without absorbing too much oil.
  • Tempering the egg yolks prevents scrambling and ensures a smooth custard.
  • You can store unfried dough rounds in the fridge overnight after the first rise and fry them fresh the next day.
  • Leftover custard can be kept refrigerated for up to 3 days and used in other desserts.

Keywords: Bomboloni, Italian doughnuts, custard filled doughnuts, fried dough, homemade pastry, Italian dessert

Find it online: https://amayaharis.com/italian-custard-bomboloni-recipe/