When I do pastry, I leave no room for invention. It is a precise science and I had way too many bad experiences to be confident in doing something new at my level! So I followed this amazing recipe for these doughnuts, I found the detailed steps were sometimes missing a few details so I added those.

We devoured them! Less sweet than the store-bought ones, the cream is light but very full of vanilla taste. They were still super good the day after, being kept in an airtight container. It is a little time consuming but it will not disappoint, I promise!

Vanilla cream filled doughnuts (12 pieces) :

For the doughnuts :

• 500g flour
• 100g butter (at room temperature)
• 3 eggs
• 50g sugar
• 190ml water
• 1 tsp yeast
• 1 tbsp rum
• 1 tsp salt
• Vegetable oil for frying

For the vanilla cream :

• 4 eggs
• 40g cornstarch
• 80g sugar
• 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp natural vanilla extract)
• 50g butter
• 500ml milk
• 1 pinch of salt

It is better to start preparing the dough and the cream the day before, it will make you more time-efficient!

In a big bowl, add the yeast, sugar and water (keep it below 35°C/95°F). Let the yeast activate for 10 minutes. It must be bubbly and foamy.

Cut the butter in cubes. In a separate small bowl, beat the eggs.

Add the eggs, flour and rum to the yeast. Start kneading for 5 minutes. Add the salt.

Keep kneading and add the butter gradually. It should take at least 10 minutes of kneading. The dough must be shiny and smooth but it will still be a little tacky.

Cover with a clean towel and let it rise for 2 hours at room temperature. Punch down the dough, cover with plastic wrap. Put it in the fridge overnight.

To make the cream : Mix together in a sauce pan the cornstarch, vanilla, salt and sugar. Whisk while you gradually add the milk and eggs. Add the butter too.

Heat on medium heat until it boils then lower the heat to low and keep whisking for 60 seconds. Turn off the heat. Transfer the cream to a bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap, applying it directly on top of the cream so it won’t dry. Let it cool at room temperature then put it in the fridge overnight.

Take the dough out of the fridge, put it on a lightly floured surface. Cut 70g pieces of dough.

Shape the pieces into tight balls. Lay it on a parchment paper + flour covered baking tray. Let it rise at room temperature for 2 hours covered with a towel.

In a heavy bottom pan, add about 1,5L to 2 liters oil. Heat it up to 175°C/345°F.

Prepare a baking tray covered with paper towel.

Take the doughnuts out of the floured tray delicately and put them in oil. Fry 2-3 minutes per side. Take out and put it on a the paper towel. Let it cool for a bit.

Roll the doughnuts in white sugar before filling.

Take the cream out of the fridge, whisk it until smooth.

Fill a piping bag with the cream.

With a chopstick, make a hole in each doughnuts. Put the tip of the piping bag in the hole and press the bag gently until the doughnuts is filled.

Enjoy!