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Bavarian Cream Donuts Recipe

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3.8 from 84 reviews

  • Author: Ava
  • Total Time: 9 hours (including dough rising overnight and custard cooling)
  • Yield: 12 donuts

Description

Classic Bavarian Cream Donuts feature soft and fluffy fried dough filled with a rich, creamy vanilla custard. Made with a yeasted dough and filled with silky Bavarian cream, these treats are perfect for a special breakfast or dessert. The dough is proofed twice to develop airy texture, then fried until golden and filled with a luscious homemade cream infused with gelatin for structure.

Ingredients

For the Donuts

  • 110 g Whole milk, lukewarm
  • 50 g Granulated sugar
  • 12.5 g Fresh yeast (or 5 g instant yeast / 1.5 teaspoons)
  • 1 Egg yolk, room temperature
  • 1 Egg, room temperature
  • 250 g Bread flour (high protein content flour, can substitute all-purpose flour)
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt
  • 120 g Unsalted butter, room temperature (soft)
  • 1.5 liters Vegetable or Canola oil for frying

For the Bavarian Cream Filling

  • 250 g Whole milk (3% fat)
  • 75 g Granulated sugar
  • 60 g Egg yolk (approx. yolk of 3 large eggs)
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
  • 4 Gelatin sheets (or 6.8 g gelatin powder / 1.5 teaspoons)
  • 230 g Heavy cream (36% fat, very cold)

Instructions

  1. Activate yeast: Mix sugar with lukewarm milk in a warm environment and sprinkle fresh yeast on top. Let sit for 10 minutes until foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
  2. Mix wet ingredients: In a stand mixer fitted with a kneading hook, combine the yeast mixture with the egg and egg yolk until incorporated.
  3. Add dry ingredients: Add the bread flour and salt to the wet ingredients and knead until the dough begins to come together.
  4. Add butter: Gradually add soft unsalted butter piece by piece while kneading on medium-high speed for about 10 minutes until dough becomes elastic, shiny, and no longer sticky.
  5. First proof: Transfer dough to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap or towel, and let rise overnight in the refrigerator or for 1-2 hours at room temperature until doubled in size.
  6. Divide dough: Punch down the risen dough gently to release air, knead a few seconds, then divide into 12 equal portions using a scale.
  7. Shape dough balls: Form each portion into smooth balls and place on square sheets of baking paper. Dust lightly with flour if needed to prevent sticking.
  8. Second proof: Proof the dough balls at room temperature for 1-2 hours in a warm spot away from direct heat or sunlight, until puffy and nearly doubled.
  9. Heat oil: Heat vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat to 180°C (356°F). Use a thermometer for accuracy.
  10. Fry donuts: Fry 3-4 donuts at a time, giving them space, cooking for about 2 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through.
  11. Drain donuts: Remove donuts and place on a wire rack lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Allow them to cool to room temperature.
  12. Prepare gelatin: Soak gelatin sheets in cold water until soft. If using gelatin powder, hydrate with 1 tablespoon cold water and let bloom.
  13. Make custard base: Whisk sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla extract together until slightly fluffy. Bring milk to simmer gently on medium heat, then slowly pour over the egg mixture while whisking vigorously to temper the eggs.
  14. Cook custard: Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat until it reaches 82°C (180°F), stirring constantly to prevent curdling. Remove from heat immediately.
  15. Add gelatin: Squeeze excess water from gelatin sheets and stir into hot custard until dissolved. For gelatin powder, mix with bloomed paste and add immediately.
  16. Chill custard: Transfer custard to a shallow container, cover tightly with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent skin. Let cool to room temperature (about 1 hour); do not refrigerate yet.
  17. Whip cream: Whip very cold heavy cream to early stiff peaks, avoiding overbeating.
  18. Fold cream: Gently fold whipped cream into the cooled custard in 2-3 additions to create light, airy Bavarian cream.
  19. Fill donuts: Use the Bavarian cream immediately to fill room temperature donuts or chill filled donuts for 2-3 hours for the cream to set properly.
  20. Storage: Store unfilled donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. Filled donuts should be refrigerated and consumed within 1-2 days.

Notes

  • If fresh yeast is unavailable, substitute with instant yeast using about 5 grams (1.5 teaspoons).
  • Use a thermometer to maintain accurate frying oil temperature (175-185°C / 347-365°F) for even cooking.
  • Ensure heavy cream is very cold before whipping for best volume and texture.
  • Cover custard surface with plastic wrap to prevent skin formation and ensure smooth texture.
  • Donuts can be dusted with powdered sugar or glazed as desired after filling.
  • Do not chill custard before folding in cream as gelatin may set too hard, resulting in a less smooth texture.
  • Use bread flour or high-protein flour for optimum dough texture, all-purpose flour can be used but may affect elasticity.
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes (excluding dough rising and custard cooling time)
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Frying
  • Cuisine: German

Find it online: https://quickandsweetrecipes.com/bavarian-cream-donuts-recipe/