Vanilla Bean Custard Doughnuts are a great way to start the day. Find out how easy it is to make a fresh batch by scrolling down to the recipe below.
The Classic Doughnut
I thought we’d all be in agreement about what the “classic” doughnut looked like. To me it’s a plump, round, golden doughy ball, with sugar coated crust, filled to bursting with raspberry jam and initially, that’s what my twitter poll said too with 100% of voters in the first 5 days choosing raspberry jam over custard. But, it would seem there are an awful lot of custard doughnut lovers out there and almost as soon as I launched the twitter poll I had comments across social media telling me that nothing could beat a fresh vanilla custard doughnut. With just 2 days of the poll left #teamcustard started gaining ground…
Quick question for a new post – what’s the TRUE “classic” doughnut? Raspberry jam or custard? Feel free to share!
— SupperInTheSuburbs (@KitchenGoddess3) April 10, 2016
As I was making these doughnuts for my Dad’s birthday (I’m nice like that) I thought I’d run it by him. And whilst he too loves a raspberry jam doughnut, his all time favourite is custard!
If I’d have known before starting this post what a can of worms I would have opened just by asking what makes a true, classic doughnut I might have opted to just fill mine with Nutella instead! Nonetheless, I decided to make an extra large batch and fill half with jam and the other half with a fresh vanilla bean custard and today I’m sharing the recipe.
How do you make doughnuts? Baked or fried?
In recent years there’s been a bit of a craze for baked doughnuts. As we become increasingly conscious about our ever expanding waistlines deep fried doughnuts seemed to have fallen out of favour and baked doughnuts feature on blogs everywhere. (Mine included: Baked Cinnamon Doughnuts). But, if you want a traditional, classic doughnut you have to forget your Wilton pan and instead invest in a deep fat fryer. The only way to get that distinctive light fluffy dough and crisp sugary crust is to get frying! The clue is really in the (original) name; with the first doughnuts being called olykoeks meaning oil cakes.
I’d been a bit apprehensive at first about making deep fried doughnuts, not because they were unhealthy (I’m all for a bit of everything in moderation, including moderation), but because it involves heating oil to incredibly high heats. But trust me, if you want to start making fresh doughnuts at home you’re going to need invest in a deep fat fryer. And the first bite of a fresh, warm doughnut is enough to convert anyone to deep fat frying.
Once you’ve got your fryer you’ll next need a light and fluffy fool-proof doughnut dough. That’s where my recipe comes in! I’ve tried this recipe plenty of times and know that it works every time. As with most doughnut recipes its a mix of strong bread flour, yeast, sugar, eggs and butter. It’s a rich dough that can get quite sticky but creates beautifully light, cakey doughnuts.
How do you fill yours?
Once you’ve mastered the dough you really can fill them with anything. I’ve got grand plans for a zesty blueberry recipe (watch this space) as well as some over the top chocolate creations. The first batch of doughnuts we ever made we filled with a sticky, sweet salted caramel sauce. They were to die for.
Today we’re sticking with custard. I make a mean fresh custard and I figure if you’re going out of your way to make a batch of fresh doughnuts, you should only fill them with the most decadent, rich, freshest fillings possible. And so the Vanilla Bean Custard Doughnut was born.
To get the filling all the way through the doughnut you’ll want to invest in a bismark nozzle (like this one). You can fill doughnuts with a normal piping bag and nozzle but you’ll find it easier to get a good fill with a longer nozzle. No one wants to feel short changed on filling – especially with this delicious recipe!
Vanilla Bean Custard Doughnuts – The Recipe
Ingredients
- For the doughnut dough
- 75ml milk
- 7g quick yeast
- 250g plain flour
- 30g sugar
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- 60g butter (melted)
- 2 eggs
- For frying
- 3 litres vegetable oil
- For dusting
- 200g caster sugar
- For the custard filling
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp cornflour
- 15g caster sugar
- 1 vanilla pod (split lengthways and seeds removed)
- 125ml milk
- 125ml double cream
Instructions
- Stage 1 - make the dough
- Heat the milk until warm to the touch and add the quick action yeast with a tsp of sugar.
- Whisk well and leave for 15 minutes until the yeast has activated and a froth has formed on top of the milk.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl and make a well in the middle. pour in the melted butter and eggs (beaten) followed by the activated yeast and milk.
- Stir together until a wet sticky dough has formed.
- Let this sticky dough rest for 10 minutes.
- Lightly oil your hands and work surface.
- Tip the dough out on to the work surface and knead for 10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- Transfer the dough into a new, lightly oiled bowl and let prove for 2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
- Stage 2 - make the custard
- Put the egg yolk in a saucepan with the cornflour, sugar and seeds from the vanilla pod.
- Whisk them together lightly before turning on the heat to low.
- Slowly add the milk stirring constantly on a low heat.
- Cook like this for roughly 5-8 minutes or until it is smooth, thick and glossy.
- Remove the custard from the heat and allow to cool completely.
- Stage 3 - shape and fry the doughnuts
- Next, cut the dough into 10-12 balls just smaller than a tennis ball.
- Knead for a further 5 to 10 minutes and shape into circular disks.
- Place these on a lightly oiled plate and let rise again for a further 45 minutes or until doubled in size again.
- Heat your oil to 160C.
- Once the temperature has been reached, fry each doughnut for 2 minutes on each side until crisp and golden.
- Turn the doughnuts out on to kitchen roll to remove excess oil then roll in caster sugar and place to one side to cool down.
- Repeat until all of the doughnuts have been cooked and coated in sugar.
- Step 4 - fill the doughnuts
- Once the custard and doughnuts are both cool, fill an icing bag complete with bismark nozzle with the custard.
- Push the nozzle deep into the doughnuts and fill generously with custard.
- Serve immediately and eat within 2 - 3 days.
Notes
Always check your deep fat fryers instructions before starting. My deep fat fryer needs a minimum of 3 litres of oil before safe to use. Some makes and models may require more or less.
My fryer can cook 4 doughnuts at a time, again check your manual to make sure you don't overcrowd your fryer.
I know it sounds like A LOT of oil but it doesn’t get used up in the cooking process at all. In fact, you can re-use the oil over and over again. I think after 5 times it’s recommended you change it but up until that point it’s still perfectly safe and edible.
This recipe also makes A LOT of doughnuts. You can easily reduce it down to make just 5 doughnuts which I have done on many an occasion. It still works just as well!
Unfortunately doughnuts don’t keep as well as some other treats and they are best served fresh. They will still be tasty after 2 or 3 days but with the fresh custard I wouldn’t recommend eating them much past this. (Not that I expect them to last that long anyway! How could you resist!)
More deep fried delights
If these tasty treats weren’t enough to satisfy you then why not try one of these fried delicacies from some of my favourite bloggers.
- Faworki / Chruściki (also known as Angel Wings) from Coffee and Vanilla
- Heart shaped churros from Supergolden Bakes
- Pączki Wiedeńskie (also known as Vienna Doughnuts) from Coffee and Vanilla
- Cronuts from Supergolden Bakes
Not yet invested in a deep fat fryer? Try one of these shallow fried snacks in the meantime:
- Funnel Cakes from Little Sunny Kitchen
- Banana and Chocolate Quesadillas from Fab Food For All
Have I convinced you that it’s worth deep fat frying? Let me know in the comments below!
Oh my! These look incredible and such mouthwatering pics too. Yum xx
Thanks Emily 😀 2/3rds of the batch have gone now! I don’t think the last 4 will last til the end of tomorrow…
Ooh wow, they look amazing! I have also seen what else you’ve done with them afterwards and can’t wait for that recipe! I think I am a jam doughnut fan, actually not even sure I’ve had one with custard in. So, naturally I must remedy this straight away and will be trying your doughnuts out ASAP! I don’t have a fryer so will try to borrow one I think 🙂
Haha thanks Lucy! Keep your eyes peeled for that one 😉 may have peeked too soon sharing it on Facebook! I’m also normally a jam fan but today went for the custard and it was a nice change! Good luck hunting down a fryer. It will be worth it!
These look amazing – I’m a jam lover myself, but the custard ones sound so tempting!
Thanks Penelope. I did briefly toy with the idea of filling then with both jam AND custard! Maybe next time….
I can’t believe how easy it is to make these delicious doughnuts! Need time though so will save this for a weekend. 🙂
Definitely needs a morning put aside but it’s well worth it. Waking up early to do them in time for brekkie is fun too!
I’m totally on the jam side of things, but I won’t begrudge anyone their custard filling. 😉 These look so good, and I’m sure your dad appreciates what a nice daughter he has!
Thanks Tracy! That’s sweet of you to say 🙂
These are absolutely mouth-watering! Your dad is such a lucky man! 🙂
Thanks Valentina! I sent him home with a tray of his own 🙂
These look heavenly! …worth every sit up, squat and push up! 🙂
Haha definitely Sarah! You have to treat yourself every now and then. I’ll be going for a run tonight now though 😉
I’ve never made fried donuts but this totally makes me want to get a deep fat fryer now!
Do it Matt! !!!! I put off getting one for so long and I’m really glad I did! I’m putting together a buyers guide so come back soon to check it out x
Oh wow these doughnuts look amazing! I’ve ever made doughnuts fried or baked but I;m now feeling inspired to make them asap.
You definitely should Jan. It does look like there are a lot of steps from. The recipe but essentially it’s make dough, fry dough. That’s it! 😀 let me know ho you get on.
Oh, those look amazing!! I’m definitely custard not jam doughnut person but the rest of my family loves jam so I’m usually outvoted.
Thank you for linking to my Polish bakes 🙂
My pleasure Margot. Make sure you make a batch some jam some custard 🙂
These are so beautifully presented. I have had such a doughnut craving the past week, now I NEED a doughnut!
Thanks Dannii !
I have to say this is such a nice change from all the baked doughnuts — they’re convenient, and pretty good, but nothing beats the REAL THING 😉
I couldn’t agree more Sue!
Hats off to you Emma your doughuts look just perfect, I’ll have one of each please:-) Thanks for linking to my recipe:-)
Thanks Camilla! It’s deadly once you realise just how easy these are to make. We’ve had a steady supply of doughnuts since I first made them over a month ago. I’m glad you like them 🙂
These look so tempting. I could eat a dozen!
Thanks Eileen! Maybe double the batch otherwise your friends and family will miss out 😛
Nice food! It looks lovely. My daughter will like it. Thank your recipe! 🙂
Those look incredible – I love a deep fried doughnut – and am a big believer that a little of what you fancy does you good! Love the sound of the custard filling too – yum!
Thanks Sonya! Everything in moderation including moderation 😉 that’s my motto! Glad you like them!
Fab doughnuts! I haven’t made my own, but always fancied having a go. Jam filling is the classic one, I think, though I do prefer the custard doughnuts, especially the Italian style.
Hi Galina! I can’t say I’ve ever tried an Italian custard doughnut?! You’ll have to give them a go and share the recipe 🙂
These look fantastic and great timing, as the kids on holiday net week – donut theme night in order!!!
That is perfect timing Gill! If you do make them be sure to send me a pic over twitter 🙂 I love seeing when people use my recipes! (@KitchenGoddess3)
Omg, I’m craving now! Your pictures are so… mouthwatering! And the only thing I can bake is cookies… Don’t know if I’ll be brave enough to try your recipe ^^’
Estelle, thanks for your kind words. The beautiful thing about frying is you can SEE them cooking in front of you. No guessing and being too nervous to open the oven door 🙂 doughnuts are a lot easier than you think. Good luck!
These look delicious – I haven been trying to be healthy but that might have to change now!!
Haha sorry Hannah! That is the story of my life! I’m often “trying to eat healthily” but too tempted by recipes and videos I see online! These are delicious…go on, treat yourself!
Now I need a donut! These look amazing and I really should attempt making our own
Thanks Kara. You really can’t beat homemade! A fresh donut is ten times better than one from a supermarket!
These look so incredible! Of I’m honest, I’ve never been a jam doughnut fan… And I’m mortified to admit I don’t think I’ve ever even tried custard – but if definitely like to if you’d like to post some to me!
Kate nows your chance! Perhaps I can convert you into a doughnut lover with this recipe? If you give them a go let me know what you think 🙂