Bomboloni Recipes

BOMBOLONI ALLA CREMA - ITALIAN CREAM-FILLED DONUTS RECIPE - (4.6/5)

Steps:

• 1.Place flours, sugar, instant yeast, vanilla bean seeds, zest of your choice and salt in a large bowl. Using a large whisk, whisk to well combine. 2.Make a well in the centre; pour in the warm milk. Work together the milk and the dry ingredients with the tips of your fingers. 3.Add the eggs all at once; work together the ingredients until you have a rough ball of dough. 4.Gradually add the butter, one-piece-at-a-time, working each piece of butter into the dough before adding the next. 5.Transfer dough to a clean, lightly floured work surface; knead until smooth and elastic (not sticky), 10 to 15 minutes. 6.Transfer dough back to the large bowl; cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place, 1½ to 2 hours. 7.When the dough has doubled in volume, transfer to a clean, floured work surface. 8.Roll the dough out to a thickness of about 1 cm (a little less than ½-inch); using a cookie cutter or glass cut out rounds about 7-cm to 7½-cm (2¾-inch to 3-inch) in diameter (keep the cuts as close together as possible). (Gather up the leftover pieces, give a quick knead to bring the pieces together, return dough to the bowl, cover and leave to rise in a warm place until double in volume, about ½-hour and proceed to roll out and cut out rounds. At this point if you have any remaining dough, gather together re-roll and cut rounds until all of the dough has been used.) 9.Place the rounds on a parchment lined baking sheet lightly sprayed with vegetable spray, cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume (they should appear full of air), 1½ to 2 hours. (I find it much easier to remove the rounds from the parchment paper when I lightly coat the parchment with vegetable spray opposed to flouring the parchment sheet. I also used a 3-inch deep baking pan instead of a baking sheet to place my rounds in to rise, this ensures the tops of my bomboloni will not stick to the plastic wrap.) 10.Heat oil in a 6-litre/quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat to between 160° C and 170° C (320° F and 340° F), about 20 minutes. (Check your oil frequently while frying bomboloni to maintain these temperatures. If you have a thermometer attach to the saucepan to monitor the temperature of the oil.) 11.Prepare 2 large plates for draining and rolling of bomboloni. Layer one plate with 3 to 4 sheets of paper towel for draining, and the other plate with a thin layer of caster sugar, for rolling, set-aside until ready to use. 12.Fry four to six bombolone at-a-time to ensure even frying. Fry until golden on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes. (Bomboloni should be golden on both sides creating a distinct line lighter in colour in between - can be difficult at times to achieve because the bomboloni have a mind of their own and they puff up while cooking, sometimes more on one side than the other.) Remove bombolone, one-at-a-time, with a spider skimmer or slotted spoon, drain on paper towels and immediately roll in caster sugar until evenly coated. 13.While bomboloni are still warm fill with Crema Pasticcera (Italian pastry cream). To fill bomboloni, transfer Crema Pasticcera to a large pastry bag fitted with a ½-cm to 1-cm (¼-inch to ½-inch) plain round tip. Use a sharp paring knife to make a small hole (in the centre) on the top of each bombolone. Insert pastry tip into the hole of the bombolone and pipe crema until the bombolone feels heavy; continue to fill until you have a mound of pastry cream visual on the top of the bombolone. 14.Bomboloni are best enjoyed on the day they are made. Serve immediately. Crema Pasticcera {Italian Pastry Cream}: 1.In a small saucepan bring milk, vanilla bean, and vanilla bean seeds just to the boil over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover and let steep 10 to 12 minutes. 2.In a large bowl, using a large hand whisk, cream together egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale. 3.Add the flour and whisk to well combine. 4.Gradually, in a steady stream, add the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture; whisking constantly until well combined. 5.Return the milk-egg mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes. 6.Remove from heat and strain Crema Pasticcera through a fine mesh sieve into a 20-cm (8 inch) square dish or 23 X 33 cm (9 X13 inch) rectangular dish. Discard solids. (A little tip for you - I remove the vanilla bean; give it a quick rinse and then allow it to dry and use it when I am making syrups or compotes (gives the compote or syrup a hint of vanilla taste) or I also place the vanilla bean in a mason jar (a large one because I continue to add beans and top with more sugar as I go along) with sugar and make my own vanilla sugar (make sure the vanilla bean is completely dry before storing with sugar.) (This time I saved the vanilla bean and used it to make my stems for decorating the completed Pesche.) Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto Crema Pasticcera to prevent a skin from forming while cooling. When Crema Pasticcera has completely cooled place in refrigerator to chill until ready to fill cookies.

BOMBOLONI

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in a small bowl with the cold water. Place the flour, eggs, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until the ingredients are dispersed, about 5 seconds. Add the dissolved yeast and beat for about 2 minutes on medium-high speed, until the dough is well combined and holds together. Add the cubed butter and mix for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the dough no longer sticks to the side of the mixing bowl. If the dough is overly sticky, you may need to add about 1 tablespoon of flour. It is usually necessary to scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula to encourage the dough to form a ball and come away from the side. Remove the paddle and pat the dough into a ball at the bottom of the bowl. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes. The dough will rise slightly.
• Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and punch it down to remove the air. Spread it onto a lightly floured baking sheet with your fingers and flatten the dough until it is about 3/4-inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight. It will slightly proof.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured work surface. Flatten it slightly with your hands. Cut the dough into circles with a 1 1/2-inch diameter cutter, keeping the cuts as close together as possible. Pat any leftover dough into a rectangle and cut more circles out of it. (At this stage, the Bombolini can be frozen for up to 1 week if well wrapped in plastic wrap. Allow the Bombolini to defrost in the refrigerator before proofing.)
• Place the Bomboloni on a parchment covered baking sheet lightly sprayed with vegetable cooking spray. Space them 2 inches apart. Loosely cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap. Allow the Bomboloni to proof at room temperature for about 2 hours, until they have doubled in size and appear light and full of air.
• Heat the oil about 15 minutes in an electric fryer or in a 4-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat to 320 degrees F. If using a saucepan, check the temperature with a candy thermometer. Fry 5 to 7 Bomboloni at one time, any more than that and the oil temperature will dip down too much and they will not fry evenly. Fry for a total of 3 to 5 minutes, until they are golden brown. Turn to evenly fry each side. As they fry, they will increase in size. Remove the Bomboloni with a large slotted spoon and set on a paper towel to drain the excess oil.
• While the Bomboloni are still warm, roll them in a bowl filled with granulated sugar until evenly coated. If desired, fill the Bomboloni with a jam-filled pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip. Use a sharp paring knife to make a small hole on the bottom of each Bomboloni. Place the tip of the pastry bag in the hole and squeeze until the Bomboloni feels heavy. It is best to fill the Bomboloni while they are still warm and the dough soft and pliable. Serve immediately.

DAVID ROCCO'S ITALIAN NUTELLA-FILLED BOMBOLONI

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast with 1/3 cup of the milk in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the remaining milk. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest, and mix together.
• Add the egg and milk mixture slowly to the flour, and mix until the dough is roughly combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the yeast mixture, and continue to mix the dough for a few minutes. Add the butter to the dough a little at a time until mixed in. Sprinkle in a little flour if the dough is sticking to the bowl and mix until it no longer sticks to the sides. The dough should be very soft and not sticky. Transfer the dough onto a work surface and knead the dough into a ball, then put in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Proof the dough until doubled in size, 3 hours.
• Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until about 3/4-inch thick. Using a round pastry cutter the size of a cup, cut the dough into disks. Place the dough on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap. Proof the dough for another 1 hour 30 minutes.
• In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about halfway. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted into the oil reaches 340 degrees F.
• Add the pieces of dough, a few at a time, to the hot oil. When the dough is golden on one side gently turn over to fry the other side, 3 to 5 minutes. When the doughnuts are golden remove from the fryer and place on paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Then roll the doughnuts in sugar until completely covered.
• Fill a pastry bag fitted with a pastry tip with the chocolate hazelnut spread. Poke the tip three-quarters into the doughnut and squeeze the bag, pulling the tip out and adding as much spread as possible to the doughnut. Serve warm.

SOURDOUGH BOMBOLONI (DONUTS)

Steps:

• Starter/Levain (8-12 hours before you plan to mix the dough)
• Mix and then briefly knead the ingredients for the sweet stiff starter. Place the starter ball in a container with space for tripling and cover.
• Dough Mixing
• Combine all of the dough ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on low-med speed for about 10 minutes using a dough hook. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically and check on the dough texture after about 5 minutes. The dough should be a little sticky, but shouldn't come apart on your fingertips. Add more flour in small increments (2 Tbsp/17 grams) to get to a lightly sticky feel.
• If you want to hand mix the dough, start by using a bowl and spatula, and then move to slapping and folding the dough on a clean work surface. This slapping and folding video shows the progress of a similar sticky dough.
• Bulk Fermentation
• Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled/buttered container and cover it. After about 30 minutes, give the dough a quick stretch and fold to confirm the gluten is developing nicely and the hydration is manageable.
• Let the dough rise for at least 4 hours in a warm place, low 80s if possible. You might place the dough in your oven with the light on, use a Raisenne hot pad, or a proofing box. The dough should have expanded by between 75% and 100% before you move onto the next step (see photos in the gallery below).
• Dividing and Shaping
• Scrape the dough out of the bowl and onto a floured work surface.
• Roll the dough into a tube and divide it into 16 pieces (about 70-80 grams each).
• Form the dough pieces into balls and place them on a heavily floured baking sheet with about 2 inches between each ball.
• Final Proof
• Cover the baking sheet and let the donuts rise 2-4 hours, until doubled (see photo gallery below). My tray of dough was in a cooler environment for this second rise, and the final proof took 3 hours.
• Frying
• In a cold 4-6 quart Dutch oven or heavy deep saucepan, add oil until its about 2 inches deep.
• Heat the oil, checking the temperature frequently. You may want to lower the heat on your stove when the oil reaches 350°F because the temperature of the oil may continue to rise too quickly if you don't.
• Begin frying the donuts when the oil reaches 355°F and if the oil climbs over 370°F, pause and let the oil cool down.
• If your oil temp is below the suggested range, the donuts will not form a skin and will absorb oil. And if your oil temp is above the suggested range, the donuts will burn on the outside while the inside remains uncooked.
• Using a metal spatula or dough scraper, transfer 3-4 dough balls, one at a time, from the baking sheet into the hot oil.
• Fry the donuts for 2-3 minutes per side, flipping with tongs or a slotted spoon. Use the tip of your thermometer to pop any air bubbles that form on the donut surface.
• When both sides of the donuts are golden in color, use a slotted spoon to remove the donuts from the oil and drain off the excess oil, then place them on paper towels.
• Topping, Filling and Storing
• As soon as the donuts are cool enough to handle, roll them in granulated sugar.
• If you're going to fill the donuts, let them cool completely beforehand. You can then make a cuts in the sides of the donuts with a knife or chopstick, and fill the holes via a pastry bag with a cream piping tip, or you can cut the donuts completely in half on the horizontal and spread filling throughout the center of the donuts, for more of a sandwich style donut.
• Store the donuts covered at room temperature for several days.
• For freezing info, see the blog post above.

SPICED SUGAR BOMBOLONI

Steps:

• Heat 1 cup water and the butter in a small saucepan until butter melts. Set aside to cool.
• Combine milk and yeast in a large bowl; whisk to dissolve yeast. Add eggs. Do not mix.
• Add flour, sugar, and salt in that order. Do not mix.
• Add the butter mixture and mix until just combined.
• Wrap bowl tightly with plastic. Refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 2 days.
• Place dough on floured surface and gently roll out to about 1 inch thick. Cut out circles of dough with a 2-inch round cutter. Place on a well-floured, parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Heat at least 3 1/2 inches of oil in a pot until 325 degrees. Fry bomboloni in batches, turning once, until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Remove, and drain on paper towels. Dredge in spiced sugar.
• To make spiced sugar: Combine 1 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, and 1 teaspoon nutmeg in a small bowl.

GORGONZOLA BOMBOLONI

Steps:

• Stir together yeast and milk in bowl of mixer and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, start over with new yeast.) Mix in 3/4 cup flour. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled and bubbly, about 1 hour.
• Mix in egg, butter, sugar, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup flour at low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat dough until satiny and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape dough into center of bowl and dust lightly with flour. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let dough rise at warm room temperature until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Line a baking sheet with wax paper and lightly sprinkle with flour. Punch down dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut into 16 equal pieces. With lightly floured hands, flatten 1 piece of dough and put a cheese cube in center. Pinch closed, then roll into a ball and transfer to baking sheet. Make 15 more balls, arranging 1 inch apart.
• Heat 2 inches oil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat to 350°F. Fry bomboloni, 4 at a time, turning frequently, until puffed and golden, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Return oil to 350°F between batches. Serve hot.