Pastry Cream (Custard)

Ingredients

– **Milk**: 2 cups (480ml)
– **Vanilla extract**: 1 teaspoon
– **Sugar**: 1/2 cup (100g)
– **Egg yolks**: 4 large
– **Cornstarch**: 1/4 cup (30g)
– **Unsalted butter**: 2 tablespoons (30g)

Instructions:

Make the Dough:

1. **Prepare the Yeast:**
– In a small bowl, combine warm milk with sugar and yeast. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy.

2. **Make the Dough:**
– In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture, melted butter, and eggs. Mix until a dough forms.
– Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for about 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.

#### Make the Pastry Cream:
3. **Heat the Milk:**
– In a saucepan, heat the milk and vanilla extract over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Remove from heat.

4. **Mix the Egg Yolks:**
– In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until smooth.

5. **Combine the Mixtures:**
– Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to avoid curdling. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens to a custard-like consistency.

6. **Add Butter:**
– Remove the custard from heat and stir in the butter until smooth. Cover the custard with plastic wrap (pressing it against the surface to prevent a skin from forming) and let it cool completely.

Shape and Fry the Doughnuts:

7. **Roll the Dough:**
– Once the dough has risen, roll it out on a floured surface to about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thickness. Use a round cutter to cut out doughnut shapes.

8. **Second Rise:**
– Place the doughnuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover them with a towel and let them rise for another 30-45 minutes until puffy.

9. **Fry the Doughnuts:**
– Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot or fryer to 350°F (175°C). Fry the doughnuts in batches for about 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.

10. **Coat with Sugar:**
– While still warm, roll the doughnuts in sugar to coat them.

Fill the Doughnuts:

11. **Fill the Doughnuts:**
– Once the doughnuts are cool enough to handle, use a piping bag fitted with a round tip to fill each doughnut with the pastry cream.

12. **Serve:**
– Serve the custard-filled doughnuts fresh and enjoy their soft, sweet, and creamy goodness!

These doughnuts are a delightful treat for any occasion. If you have any questions or need more recipes, feel free to ask!