Boston Cream Pie Donuts with Chocolate Glaze

For the Donuts:

• 7 ounces lukewarm water, 110°F
• 2 tablespoons lukewarm milk, 110°F
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ¼ ounce active dry yeast, 1 envelope
• 3¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cubed
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

For the Pastry Cream:

• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup milk
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Glaze:

• ⅔ cup semisweet chocolate chips
• ⅓ cup heavy cream

For the Donuts:

• Grease a medium bowl. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly flour it. Place paper towels under a wire rack for draining the fried donuts.
  
• In a large bowl, whisk together the warm water, warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes, or until foamy.
  
• Add the flour, egg, butter, baking powder, and salt. Mix until a dough forms. Knead with a dough hook or by hand for about 5 minutes, until smooth and slightly tacky.
  
• Place the dough in the greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour, or until nearly doubled.
  
• Punch down the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to ½-inch thickness.
  
• Use a 3-inch round cutter to cut the donuts. Place them on the prepared baking sheet. Re-roll the scraps once and cut the remaining donuts.
  
• Cover the donuts loosely with plastic wrap and let them proof for 15 minutes, or until puffy.
  
• Heat 2 inches of oil in a Dutch oven to 350-360°F.
  
• Fry 2-3 donuts at a time for about 2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer to the paper towel-lined rack and cool completely before filling.
  

For the Pastry Cream:

• In a saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and milk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and beginning to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 minute, then remove from heat.
  
• Whisk a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks to temper them.
  
• Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan and stir to combine.
  
• Return the saucepan to the heat and bring the mixture to a light boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
  
• Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla until smooth.
  
• Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until completely cold.
  

For the Chocolate Glaze:

• Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl.
  
• Heat the heavy cream in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water until just below boiling. Pour the warm cream over the chocolate chips and let it sit for 1 minute. Whisk until smooth and glossy.
  

Assemble the Donuts:

• Use a small knife to cut a hole into the side of each donut, going about ¾ of the way through.
  
• Spoon the chilled pastry cream into a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe a generous amount into the center of each donut, stopping when you feel resistance.
  
• Dip the top of each filled donut into the chocolate glaze. Let the glaze set for about 10 minutes before serving.
  

For a quicker version, store-bought biscuit dough can be fried and filled. The texture will be denser, but still tasty.

If you are short on time, prepared instant vanilla pudding can be used instead of homemade pastry cream. It will be softer and sweeter, so chill it well before filling the donuts.

Dough Tips:

• The yeast mixture should foam after about 5 minutes. If it does not, start again with fresh yeast.
• The dough should be smooth and slightly tacky, not dry. Use extra flour sparingly when rolling.
• The cut donuts should look puffy before frying, but they do not need to double in size.

Frying Tips:

• Keep the oil between 350-360°F. Oil that is too hot can brown the outside before the inside cooks. Oil that is too cool can make the donuts greasy.
• Fry in small batches so the oil temperature stays steady.
• Flip the donuts once and fry for about 2 minutes per side.

Pastry Cream Tips:

• Stir constantly while cooking because pastry cream thickens quickly and can scorch.
• Temper the eggs slowly to prevent scrambled yolks.
• Chill the pastry cream completely before piping it into the donuts.

Filling and Glaze Tips:

• Let the donuts cool fully before filling.
• If you do not have a piping bag, use a zip-top freezer bag and snip off one corner.
• Do not overfill the donuts. Pipe until you feel resistance.
• Use the glaze while it is slightly warm, not hot, for the smoothest finish.
• Optional toppings such as sprinkles or chocolate shavings should be added while the glaze is still soft.

Make-Ahead: The pastry cream can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated until ready to use. For the best texture, fry, fill, and glaze the donuts the day you plan to serve them.

Storage: Store Boston cream donuts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.