Boston Cream Donuts- A Delicious Homemade Version

Fried doughnuts that are filled with vanilla pastry cream and glazed with luscious chocolate, these Boston Cream Donuts are a family favorite and always go fast!

The sight of donuts arranged in coffee shop shelves mesmerizes me; A box of a dozen assortment of donuts fills me with glee. So imagine my joy as I sink my teeth into these fresh Boston Cream Donuts. Not only they are soft and warm, but there is just something about these homemade version- the flavor of the pastry cream and freshly made chocolate glaze- everything is heavenly!

In our house, Boston Cream Donuts are the ones that gets picked up first out of all the flavors in a box of store-bought donuts. So I took that as a sign that I need to try a homemade version of this household favorite, and boy I am so glad I did!

Boston Cream Donuts

• This recipes uses my trusty donut dough, which is the same one I use for my White Chocolate Donuts and Tiramisu donuts. It is soft and airy but sturdy enough to hold any filling and glaze.
• I used a simple pastry cream recipe for the filling. A pastry cream is made of basic ingredients, namely egg yolks, milk, flour, sugar, cornstarch, butter and vanilla.
• The chocolate glaze is basically a ganache that is sweetened and stabilized by the addition of powdered sugar. All these elements come together to make a killer flavor combo- the classic Boston Cream Donuts.

The Pastry Cream

1. The pastry cream can de done ahead, up to 2 days in advance. Just transfer it to a bowl, cover it with plastic film and store it in the fridge.
2. To make the pastry cream, whisk the sugar and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk together yolks, sugar, flour, and cornstarch in a glass bowl until smooth and blended.
3. Temper the eggs. Once the milk mixture forms bubbles on the sides, add 3-4 tablespoons of it in a steady stream over the yolk mixture while whisking the yolk mixture to prevent lumps. Pour back the tempered yolk mixture to the milk mixture in the pan, and conitnue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.
4. Once it thickens, turn off the heat and stir in vanilla and melted butter until smooth. remove the mixtre from the heat and trasfer to a bowl. Let this cool before using.

Let’s Make Boston Cream Donuts

Make the doughnuts. In a large mixing bowl, combine the water, the yeast and about 1 tsp of the sugar. Let this sit for 5 minutes or until it is thick and foamy. Add the egg, milk, melted butter, sugar and salt. Stir everything with a wooden spoon.

Add 3 cups of flour, one cup at a time, stirring well. Gradually add some of the reserved flour to the bowl, until the mixture gathers in the center into a soft and shaggy dough.

Turn the dough into a floured board. Dust your hands with flour and knead the dough, until it is smooth and elastic. If you are unsure, perform the windowpane test. Shape the kneaded dough into a ball and let it rise in a bowl, covered for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cut 20 small squares of parchment paper, about 3-4 inches.

Cut the Donuts. Once the dough has risen, deflate and divide it into 2 portions. Using a rolling pin, roll one portion of the dough into a rough rectangle that is about 1/2 inch thick. Use a 3 inches donut or cookie cutter to cut 7-8 donuts from the dough. Repeat the process with the other half of the dough. Gather the scraps, re-roll and cut more donuts. You can cut about 5 more extras, for a total of 20 donuts.

Let the Shaped Donuts Rise. Arrange the donuts over the pre-cut parchment paper. Place them on a large baking tray(s), cover and let rise for 40 minutes to an hour.

Cook the Donuts. After rising, preheat about 3 inches of cooking oil over medium heat on a heavy-bottomed pan. Once the oil reaches 350 F, carefully lower 3-4 donuts to the pan.

Deep fry the donuts, turning once the side is nicely golden, and continue cooking on the other side, for a total of 1-3 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Drain each donut on a wire rack and allow to cool.

Fill the Donuts with the Pastry Cream. Using a straw or a skewer, gently poke a hole on one edge of the donuts and move it around gently to make space for the pastry cream. Pipe about 1 tablespoon of cream into the centers of the donuts.

Dip the top of each donut in the chocolate glaze, letting the excess drip. Arrange the donuts on a wire rack set over a lined tray and allow the glaze to set. But actually this is the time to devour one and taste test! Enjoy these treats my friend, they are well worth it!

Tips and Storage

• During frying, maintain an oil temperature of 310-350 F. You may need to lower the heat to do this, or the donuts will brown fast and the center of the donuts will be raw.
• I store these donuts in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to a day (overnight tops). The fridge will dry them up. These are best enjoyed on the same day.