This Bavarian cream doughnut recipe is the one for keeps. With the pillowy soft, flavorful dough and silky, creamy vanilla cream filling, these are perfect for any occasion at all times of the year!
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the lukewarm water, sugar, yeast, lemon zest, rum, vanilla extract and eggs. Give it a stir with a fork or a whisk.If you're using active dry yeast, make sure to firstly activate it by combining with water and a teaspoon of sugar. Leave for a few minutes until the top is frothy, then proceed adding the other ingredients per instructions.
Fit the stand mixer with the dough hook and add the flour, salt and nutmeg to the bowl. Knead the dough for approx. 5-8 minutes, on low-medium speed, until it becomes smooth, shiny and doesn't stick to the sides of the bowl.
Next, add in the butter, one cube at a time, with the mixer still going at medium-low speed. It will seem like it's not incorporating together, but don't worry, just keep adding it, and it will eventually start coming together, creating a sticky dough.
Once you've added all the butter and the dough is combined, but sticky, continue to knead it on low-medium speed for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until it becomes smooth and elastic again, and starts pulling away from the sides.
Transfer the dough to a large bowl that you've previously floured or lightly greased so it doesn't stick. Cover with cling film and put in the fridge to proof overnight.
Once your dough is ready, punch it to deflate it, transfer it on a clean, lightly floured surface and give it a brief knead. Portion the dough into approx. 18 pieces that weigh between 60 to 65 grams. (I always use a kitchen scale for this)Roll each piece of dough until you've got a smooth ball and place on a baking sheet with individual baking paper squares. Cover with a clean tea towel or plastic wrap and let them rest and rise for another 2 to 4 hours. (The exact time will depend on how warm and humid is the space you're letting them proof.)
You don't want to overproof your doughnuts, otherwise they will become hollow inside and soak up a lot of oil. When the dough is ready, heat approx. 1.5 liters of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. The oil should be between 170 and 180 degrees Celsius. That's around 340 to 350F.
Fry 3-4 doughnuts at a time for a couple of minutes on each side or until golden. Take them out to a plate covered with paper towels. Let them cool completely before filling and covering with sugar.
To make the Bavarian cream filling:
In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the milk just until boiling point.
In the meantime, in a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks, egg, corn starch, sugar and salt using a whisk.
Once the milk has reached scalding point, pour ⅔ of it to the egg mixture, in a slow and steady stream, whisking continuously so you don't cook the eggs. Once you tempered the egg mixture, return it to the saucepan with the remaining milk and continue cooking, whisking constantly, until it thickens.Cook for another 1-2 minutes to make sure there isn't any cornstarch aftertaste.
Once it's done, add in the vanilla and butter and whisk until everything is combined, silky and smooth.
Strain the pastry cream to a clean bowl through a sieve, to get rid of any cooked egg bits and lumps. Cover with cling film (plastic wrap) touching the surface to prevent skin forming. Let it cool at room temperature for about an hour, then place it in the fridge to cool completely.
Transfer the cold pastry cream to a mixing bowl (it will be stiff, gelatinous-like) and give it a mix with an electric hand mixer to make it creamy again.In a separate bowl, whisk the cold heavy cream to stiff peaks and add it to the pastry cream. Mix everything together at medium-high speed until fully combined and smooth.
Place the Bavarian cream in a disposable piping bag and snip the end off before using. There is no need for a piping nozzle.
Assembly:
Coat the doughnuts into a cinnamon-sugar mixture and place vertically on a baking tray. Using a small knife or scissors, cut the middle (where the white line is) to create a hole for the filling. Fill with the prepared vanilla cream. You'll know you've filled them enough when they start expanding! 🙂
Notes
If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use an electric hand mixer with dough kneading attachments, a wooden spoon or your hands!
If you still don’t own one, I advise you to buy a kitchen scale – they’re cheap and easy to use, and always guarantee the same results in baking! :)
Please check the post for extra tips and information!