Overnight Malasadas with Vanilla Pastry Cream

Malasadas began in Portugal, but found their way to Hawaii, where they are now a very famous and popular "filled doughnut". Although, these aren't just any "filled doughnut"... they're magic. Here's what you'll need to make 6 of them:

Photo byEstee

For the Malasada Dough:

• 2 cups bread flour, plus more for assembly
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 (0.25 oz) packet instant yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup whole milk, warmed to between 120° to 130°F
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Vanilla Pastry Cream Filling:

• 2 1/2 cup milk, divided
• 6 Tbs cornstarch
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Other:

• Peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Knead on low speed for about 30 seconds to mix. Create a "well" in the center of the dry ingredients using a tall glass or measuring cup.

Next, in a large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk, egg, egg yolk, and melted butter until well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the well of the dry ingredients. Knead on medium-low speed for about 10 minutes, or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. The dough will be sticky and thick, similar to a batter — this is normal.

Cover the dough bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to proof.

Meanwhile, make the vanilla pastry cream by whisking together the cornstarch and 1/2 cup of milk until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Then, add the 4 egg yolks and whisk to combine.

In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 2 cups of milk, sugar, and vanilla over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Heat until bubbles start to form around the edges, but do not let it reach a full boil. Remove from heat.

Slowly add 1/3 cup of the hot milk to the egg mixture in a thin stream while whisking constantly to avoid scrambling the eggs. Repeat with another 1/3 cup of the hot milk. The eggs should now be tempered.

Next, pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk. Return the saucepan to medium heat and add the cream. Whisk constantly for 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens into a custard-like consistency.

Remove from heat and pour into a shallow glass dish. Cover it with plastic wrap, ensuring the wrap directly touches the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. (If it is too hot, allow to cool until safe to cover directly.) Refrigerate for a few hours, or preferably overnight.

Day 2: Cook and Assemble The Malasadas

First, line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper and generously flour it. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place the onto a generously floured counter. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out 6 circles. Gather and reroll the dough scraps if needed to cut out more circles.

Place the dough circles at least 3 inches apart on the prepared sheet pan. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour until puffed up.

Prep the Frying and Assembly Station:

Fill a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven halfway with vegetable oil. Attach a deep-fry thermometer and heat the oil to 365°F.

Line a wire rack with two sheets of paper towels and place 3/4 cup of granulated sugar in a shallow bowl.

Transfer the chilled vanilla pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a Bismark pastry tip.

Using a floured bench knife, carefully lift each malasada and fry in batches of 2 at a time for 2 minutes per side, or until they are puffy and golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried donuts to the prepared wire rack. Repeat until all donuts are fried, ensuring the oil temperature is maintained at 365°F between batches.

While still warm, toss each donut in the bowl of granulated sugar to coat.Wait for 15 minutes to allow the donuts to cool slightly. Use a skewer or the Bismark pastry tip to poke a hole in the side of each donut and pipe approximately 2 tablespoons of pastry cream into each donut until it feels plump and stretched thin.

Serve warm or at room temperature and enjoy!!

* Notes:

Malasadas are best enjoyed the day they are made.Store any leftovers under a cake dome or a large bowl turned upside down for up to 1 day. After 1 day, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 more days.

3 day ahead:

You can make the dough and pastry cream up to 3 days ahead. Simply keep covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days, then follow the recipe instructions to shape the dough into malasadas, proof again, fry, and fill.