How to Make Bomboloni – Italian Cream-Stuffed Donuts Recipe

Introduction

Bomboloni are delightful Italian cream-stuffed donuts that are soft, fluffy, and filled with a rich custard cream. Perfect for breakfast or an indulgent snack, these treats bring a little taste of Italy to your kitchen.

Ingredients

• 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, softened
• 1 cup (235 ml) milk, warm
• Oil for frying
• Powdered sugar to decorate
• 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. Step 1: In a stand mixer bowl or large bowl, combine both flours, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix to blend evenly.
2. Step 2: Beat the eggs in a small bowl, then add them to the dry ingredients along with cubed softened butter and vanilla extract. Mix to combine.
3. Step 3: Pour in the warm milk and continue mixing. Use a dough hook or knead by hand on a floured surface until the dough is smooth and elastic. It will be sticky but manageable.
4. Step 4: Shape the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and let it rest for 2 hours or until it doubles in size.
5. Step 5: Meanwhile, prepare the custard cream. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a medium pan until well combined.
6. Step 6: Add flour and corn starch, whisking until smooth and fluffy.
7. Step 7: Gradually whisk in a little warm milk to avoid lumps, then add the remaining milk. Stir well.
8. Step 8: Place the pan over medium heat and stir continuously until the mixture comes to a gentle boil and thickens. Avoid sticking to the bottom.
9. Step 9: Stir in vanilla extract, lower the heat, and cook for a few more minutes until the cream reaches desired thickness.
10. Step 10: Transfer the custard to a bowl, let it cool, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
11. Step 11: Once the dough has risen, transfer it to a floured surface and roll into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Fold into thirds like a letter.
12. Step 12: Rotate the dough 90 degrees, roll it out again, and fold into thirds once more.
13. Step 13: Cover with plastic wrap and a towel, then let rest for 1 hour.
14. Step 14: Roll the dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness.
15. Step 15: Use a 4-inch round cookie cutter or glass to cut out circles. Re-roll scraps as needed to get about 12 donuts.
16. Step 16: Place the cut dough on a tray, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rest another hour.
17. Step 17: Heat oil in a frying pan to cover about 1/2 inch. When bubbles form around a wooden spoon, reduce heat to medium.
18. Step 18: Fry donuts a few at a time without overcrowding, about 1-2 minutes per side, until golden and puffed.
19. Step 19: Drain on paper towels and let cool slightly.
20. Step 20: Fill each bomboloni with custard cream using a piping bag, injecting from the side.
21. Step 21: Dust generously with powdered sugar and serve fresh.

Tips & Variations

• Use a kitchen thermometer to ensure milk and oil are warm but not too hot, ideal for activating yeast and frying evenly.
• For a different filling, try lemon curd or chocolate ganache instead of custard cream.
• If you don’t have a piping bag, use a plastic bag with a small hole cut in one corner for filling.
• Test the frying oil with a small bit of dough first to make sure it bubbles immediately but doesn’t brown too fast.

Storage

Store leftover bomboloni in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They are best enjoyed fresh but can be lightly reheated in a low oven or microwave for a few seconds. Custard-filled donuts should not be refrigerated for long to avoid sogginess.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the dough the night before and let it rise slowly in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature before continuing with the folding and cutting steps.

What if I don’t have bread flour?

If bread flour isn’t available, you can use all-purpose flour for the entire amount, but the donuts may be slightly less chewy and airy.

How to Make Bomboloni – Italian Cream-Stuffed Donuts Recipe

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Bomboloni are traditional Italian cream-stuffed donuts, characterized by their soft, fluffy texture and rich custard filling. This recipe guides you through preparing the yeast dough, making a smooth custard cream, frying the donuts to golden perfection, and filling them with luscious vanilla custard. Perfect for an indulgent breakfast, dessert, or snack, these homemade bomboloni combine classic Italian flavors with a delightful airy bite.

• Author: Elena
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 4 hours 50 minutes
• Yield: 12 bomboloni 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Frying
• Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

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, softened
• 1 cup (235 ml) warm milk
• oil for frying
• powdered sugar to decorate

Custard Cream Filling

• 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) warm whole milk

Instructions

1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a stand mixer bowl or large bowl, combine bread flour, all-purpose flour, active dry yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix these dry components to blend evenly.
2. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat the eggs separately, then add them to the dry mixture along with softened butter cut into cubes and vanilla extract. Mix together thoroughly.
3. Knead the Dough: Add the warm milk and continue mixing. Using a dough hook attachment if available, knead for several minutes until smooth. If kneading by hand, move the dough to a floured surface and knead for several minutes until sticky but elastic and smooth.
4. First Rise: Form the dough into a ball, place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and let rest for 2 hours or until it doubles in size.
5. Prepare Custard Mixture: In a medium pan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well combined.
6. Add Flour and Cornstarch: Whisk in the all-purpose flour and corn starch until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.
7. Incorporate Milk: Gradually add a small amount of the warm milk to the egg mixture while whisking to avoid lumps, then whisk in the remaining milk.
8. Cook Custard Cream: Place the pan over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture reaches a gentle boil and thickens. Be careful to prevent sticking. Stir in vanilla extract.
9. Simmer Cream: Reduce heat to low and continue cooking for a few more minutes until reaching the desired custard thickness.
10. Cool and Refrigerate Custard: Pour the custard into a bowl, let it cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.
11. Roll and Fold Dough: Once the dough has doubled, transfer to a floured surface and roll out into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Fold into three parts like a letter, rotate 90 degrees, then roll and fold again.
12. Second Rise: Cover again with plastic wrap and a towel and let rest for 1 hour.
13. Roll Out Dough: Roll the rested dough into a 1/2 inch thickness.
14. Cut Donut Shapes: Use a 4-inch round cookie cutter or a similar disk to cut out 12 donut shapes from the dough.
15. Re-roll and Cut More: Gather scraps, roll them out again to cut additional donuts or roll into balls and shape individually.
16. Third Rise: Cover the cut dough donuts with plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour until puffed.
17. Heat Oil: In a frying pan, add enough oil to a depth of 1/2 inch, heat over medium-high heat until bubbles form around a wooden spoon.
18. Fry Bomboloni: Lower heat to medium and fry the donuts a few at a time, avoiding overcrowding. Cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, turning once golden and fluffy.
19. Drain and Cool: Remove fried bomboloni to paper towels to drain excess oil and cool.
20. Fill Bomboloni: Using a piping bag, inject each cooled donut with the chilled custard cream.
21. Decorate and Serve: Dust filled bombs with powdered sugar and serve fresh.

Notes

• Ensure milk is warm, not hot, to activate yeast properly without killing it.
• Dough will be sticky and soft; flour your hands and surface as needed to handle it.
• Do not overcrowd the frying pan to maintain oil temperature and achieve even cooking.
• Filling the bomboloni while warm can cause the cream to melt; wait until they are cooled.
• Custard cream can be made a day ahead and refrigerated to enhance flavor and ease prep time.
• Use a thermometer to maintain oil temperature around 350°F (175°C) for best frying results.

Keywords: Bomboloni, Italian donuts, cream stuffed donuts, custard filled donuts, homemade bomboloni