Bomboloni - Baked, not fried

Bomboloni filled with Lemon Custard

I used to have this Italian doughnut-like-thing in a café in Melbourne,  a bombolone.  It was sugary on the outside and on the inside was a delicious custard, or pastry cream, with a light lemony tang.  I'd try to eat it so that there was still a little bit of custard left in the last mouthful.

When I saw Sandra's Swedish Vanilla Buns on Cooking for Oscar,  those bomboloni are what I thought of.  Googling bomboloni, I see they are supposed to be fried like the regular doughnuts we know.  But I didn't know that until I'd already baked the first batch in the oven and they were great.  Be aware,  however.  I have made these twice and both times I have overfilled them with the custard and it has leaked out.  Some completely!!!  So,  heed my warning.  One teaspoon of filling for each and seal it thoroughly.  I thought I knew better and was smugly sealing a tablespoon's worth in there... but it was the volume not the seal that was their undoing.

Today, I ran out of custard for the last 2 (see?  Too much!!) and so I chucked in some raspberry jam.  They were for me,  not the kids.  Shhhhh.   Yum-oh!!!

Remember to reserve some caster sugar for the outside when you're making these.

Custard Ingredients:

• 90g white Sugar
• 2 eggs
• 30g Cornflour
• 1tsp Citric Acid
• 500g Milk

Custard Method:

• Put the Sugar into the Thermomix and pulverise on Speed 9 for about 5 seconds.  Remove about 10g of the Caster Sugar and set aside for later.
• Put all the rest of the ingredients into the Thermomix and cook on 90ºC for 7 minutes on Speed 4
• Put aside custard to cool in another bowl, with a cover to help prevent forming a skin (It sets thicker as it cools)

Bun Ingredients:

• 250g Milk
• 75g Butter, chopped
• 7g of Yeast
• 1 Egg  (or 1 tab Oil)
• 110g (1/2 cup) of Sugar
• 610g (3 1/2 cups) Plain Flour
• Pinch of Salt
• 10g Butter extra

Bun method:

• Place Milk and Butter into Thermomix and melt butter on 37ºC for 2-3 minutes on Speed 2
• Add Yeast, Egg, Sugar, Flour and Salt and knead for 2 minutes until it is smooth
• Set aside to rise in a covered oiled bowl for 30 minutes
• On a floured surface,  plop out the dough,  punch it down and roll out with a rolling pin until it's about 1cm thick.
• Cut rounds out of the dough of about 8-9cm
• Have the custard standing by as well as a couple of large lined baking trays
• Stretch and fill each round in turn.  I found it easiest to just stretch and keep turning the dough with each press of my fingers
• One teaspoon of custard into the middle of a round and then fold the edges up in half, quarter and then press/twist edges together to seal
• Place seal-side-down on the tray and proceed with the next one.
• Allow these buns to rise for about 30 minutes and then cook on 220ºC for about 10 minutes. Don't walk away or start facebooking,  they're suddenly ready.  (Yes, voice of experience.)
• Cool on a rack, covered with a clean tea towel.
•  Melt the extra Butter and brush over the cooled buns then dip into the reserved Caster Sugar.
• Makes about 24+ Bomboloni.  Serve immediately.  Will keep about 24 hours in sealed container,  but best eaten a little warm.  I will freeze a few in the interest of science and let you know how they fare.

Verdict:  Fabulous!  Yummeh!  Delicious!!!  Can't.  Stop.  Eating.  Yummy.  Bomboloni.

Tweeks:  I want to try Vanilla Custard,  Carob Custard....  what else could we do?