Sweet yeast pastry / filled doughnut
Pillowy yeast doughnuts fried until golden, rolled in fine sugar, and filled with smooth vanilla pastry cream. The chef’s secret is balance: strong gluten, gentle proofing, steady oil temperature, and custard cooked until glossy but never grainy.
Recipe video
Warm the milk to 35–38°C / 95–100°F. In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, yeast, and salt so the yeast is evenly dispersed.
Add milk, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until no dry flour remains and the dough looks rough but hydrated.
Knead for 6–8 minutes, then add soft butter a little at a time. Knead until smooth, elastic, and able to stretch into a thin windowpane.
Cover and rise for 75–90 minutes, or until doubled and airy, not over-expanded.
For the custard, heat milk with vanilla until steaming, not boiling.
Whisk yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until pale. Slowly whisk in hot milk to temper the yolks.
Return to the pan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy. Let it bubble gently for 1 minute, then whisk in butter.
Cover the custard surface with film and chill until cold and pipeable.
Roll dough to 1.2 cm / 1/2 in thick. Cut 7–8 cm / 3 in rounds and place on small parchment squares.
Proof for 35–50 minutes, until puffy and light. A gentle touch should leave a slow, shallow mark.
Heat oil to 170–175°C / 338–347°F in a heavy pan. Keep the temperature steady.
Fry 2–3 doughnuts at a time for about 90 seconds per side, until deep golden and light. Drain on a rack.
While warm, roll in fine sugar. Cool for 10 minutes so the custard will not melt.
Pierce the side of each doughnut and pipe in chilled custard until the doughnut feels slightly heavy.
