Steps for Cream-Filled Doughnuts

• First, prepare the custard so it cools down well.

  Pour the milk into a saucepan, then bring it to a boil with the whole lemon peel, being careful to extract only the yellow part.

  (I used lemon peel, but a vanilla bean or a tablespoon of vanilla extract are also fine).

  In a separate pan, beat the eggs with the sugar. (Whole eggs, both yolk and white).

  Then add the flour, stirring with a whisk to remove any lumps.

  (You can substitute flour with cornstarch if desired).

  Thin the mixture with a little milk poured slowly, using a strainer to avoid the lemon peel ending up in the cream, after adding all the milk, return it to moderate heat.

  Put it back on the flame, and always stirring, you will see the custard thicken in seconds.

  Turn off the heat and cover the fast custard with cling film placed in contact.

  Before using, let it cool down very well.

  (Tip: you can prepare the cream the day before and store it in the fridge. When ready to use, mix it well with a whisk).

  

• Boil the potatoes with their skins on.

  Once cooked, peel and mash them with a potato masher.

• Dissolve the yeast with a tablespoon of sugar in the lukewarm milk.

• In the mixer with the hook, add the flour, potatoes, sugar, dissolved yeast in milk, the 4 yolks, and the flavors (lemon peel, orange) and start the mixer.

  While the mixer is working, add small pieces of butter (room temperature) and finally add the salt.

  (If you don’t have a mixer, work on the work surface).

• Knead until you get a homogeneous dough.

  Transfer the dough onto a floured surface, work it vigorously with your hands, and place it in a bowl.

  Covered with cling film, keep it in the turned off oven with the light on for 3/4 hours.

  (If the dough is sticky, don’t add more flour, but you need to grease your hands).

  

• After 3 hours, transfer the dough onto the floured surface and flatten the dough to a height of about 0.4 inches.

  Subsequently, with a round pastry cutter of 3-4 inches in diameter or a glass, cut out many discs.

  Cut squares with parchment paper, where you will place the discs.

  Put all the discs under a tablecloth spaced from each other.

  Let it rise until doubled.

  

• When the doughnuts have doubled in volume, they can be fried in plenty of oil.

  The oil should not exceed 338°F, just dip a piece of dough into the oil, if it floats up and starts to brown, the oil is ready.

  (If we don’t have a kitchen thermometer, we can use a toothpick: when bubbles form around it upon immersion, the oil is ready).

• When they have become golden in color (fry 2 or 3 at a time, otherwise you won’t be able to keep up with the cooking of all of them), turn them over and let them color on the other side.

  Then, drain them on absorbent paper and immediately roll them in sugar.

  Then, with the help of a pastry syringe or a piping bag, make a hole on the side to fill with custard.

  Let them cool and serve the cream bombs.

  

• Bon appétit