Bomboloni - Pistachio Custard Filled Doughnuts
Bomboloni with pistachio custard filling are Italian doughnuts prepared with my easy to make Sicilian brioche dough. These soft and fluffy doughnuts are rolled in sugar and are filled with a delicious pistachio infused custard. Perfect for breakfast, dessert or as a snack!
Servings 20 bomboloni
Calories 301kcal
Equipment
- 3-inch circular doughnut or cookie cutter
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Sicilian brioche dough
For the pistachio custard
- 1/2 cup pistachios unsalted and shelled
- 1 tsp honey
- 3 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 cups milk preferably whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
For rolling in
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
For frying
- vegetable oil
Instructions
Prepare the pistachio custard filling:
- Place shelled, unsalted pistachios in a food processor and process until crumbly. Add honey and vegetable oil and process until a paste is formed, about 5 minutes. The pistachio paste will be slightly crumbly, this is normal. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.
- Heat milk, vanilla extract and salt over medium heat in a medium sized sauce pan. Whisk in the pistachio paste until smooth. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl whisk together egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Add all-purpose flour and whisk until fully incorporated. Pour half the heated milk mixture into the bowl with the eggs and immediately whisk until smooth.
- Place the sauce pan with the milk back on the burner over medium heat. Pour the egg/milk mixture from the bowl into the sauce pan and whisk continuously until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Immediately remove it from the heat to prevent the bottom from scorching.
- Transfer to a bowl and place a sheet of plastic wrap on the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming while it cools. After a few minutes transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely, from 2-3 hours.
Prepare the dough
- Prepare the dough following the instructions for my Sicilian brioche dough recipe until step #7, that is until the first 3 hour rising period.
- Divide the dough in half. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2 inch thickness (about 1 cm). Use a 3-inch doughnut cutter, or use a glass or mug with a similar sized opening, to cut into rounds.
- Reroll the scraps to cut out more bomboloni, or if you prefer roll the dough into small balls to make mini doughnut balls. Continue with the remaining dough.
- Place the bomboloni on 2 parchment paper covered baking sheets. Let rest in a warm part of your kitchen for 1.5 hours, or until doubled in bulk.
To fry the bomboloni
- Place about 2 inches of vegetable oil in your fryer or heavy bottomed wide pan. Heat the oil until the handle of a wooden spoon immediately begins to bubble when submerged in the hot oil.
- In order to prevent the bomboloni from losing their shape and deflating when handling them, cut the parchment paper into squares around the bomboloni. Use the parchment paper to carefully lift the bomboloni and place into the hot oil. Avoid overcrowding the pan and fry only 3-4 bomboloni at a time.
- Fry for about 1 minute on each side, until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel lined tray to absorb excess oil.
- Toss the bomboloni in granulated sugar while still warm in order to enable the sugar to stick to the doughnuts. Let cool a few more minutes before filling.
Fill the bomboloni
- Place the cooled pistachio custard cream in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Make a small hole on the side of each bomboloni with the star tip and pipe with the pistachio filling until you feel the sides of the bomboloni swell. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
- Although I have read that bomboloni may be baked at 350 degrees F until golden, I have not attempted this myself. Let me know if you give it a try!
- I used vegetable oil to fry my bomboloni. Alternatives include canola; sunflower or peanut oil.
- The pistachio custard cream may be prepared a day in advance and kept refrigerated.
- Bomboloni, or any doughnut for that matter, are best enjoyed the day they are made as they tend to dry out over time. If you have any leftover, keep covered at room temperature until the following day after which they should be refrigerated due to the cream filling.
- For a bite sized snack, rolls portions of dough into tiny round bomboloni. This recipe will make approximately 45-50 mini bomboloni.
- Please note that the nutritional information provided is approximate and may vary according to exact ingredients used and portion size.
Nutrition
Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 168mg | Potassium: 143mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 101IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg