Halloween Filled Donuts with very soft potatoes. The recipe is simple. They are among the most classic fried holiday sweets, especially for children’s parties.

Their pumpkin shape makes them unique and cute. Fluffy, soft, and coated in sugar, they can be enjoyed plain or filled with custard or chocolate cream, perhaps even dark chocolate, or hazelnut cream.

Don’t be intimidated by the long title. The dough will indeed need a double rise, but with a bit of patience and organization, we can achieve incredible treats, as good as those from the bar, to enjoy for breakfast, snack, or just for Halloween night.

Their pumpkin shape makes them unique and very soft. Filled with lots of lemon custard, they become literally explosive, and I guarantee you will never tire of making them for your family.

To make them as good, soft, and hollow inside as those from the bar or bakeries, there are a few precious tips.

The butter must be soft at room temperature and not too melted.

The egg yolks must also be at room temperature, and we need them to have a nice puffy and stretched dough.

Once fried, we just need to pass them over the sugar while still warm, completely covering them.

At this point, we can choose whether to leave them plain or fill them.

I chose to fill them with custard, piercing them underneath in the center with a wooden spoon handle and using a piping bag to fill them. Be careful: when piercing the donut, don’t go through the other side.

A delicious result and definitely worth trying, at least for Halloween.

Difficulty: Easy
Cost: Economical
Rest time: 4 Hours
Preparation time: 20 Minutes
Portions: 20 pieces
Cooking methods: Boiling, Frying
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients for Halloween Filled Donuts

4 cups all-purpose flour (+ 1/3 cup for the work surface)
4 egg yolks (room temperature)
2/3 cup sugar
13 oz red potatoes (or old floury potatoes, weight after cooking and peeling)
2 1/4 tsp fresh yeast (or 1 1/4 tsp dry yeast)
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup butter (room temperature)
2 tsp salt
as needed orange (zest)
as needed lemon (zest)
1 qt peanut oil (for frying)
as needed sugar (for dusting)
2 cups milk
2 eggs (whole)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or cornstarch)
1/2 cup sugar
1 as needed lemon (organic lemon peel)

Tools

Pot
Small Pan
Pastry Board
Kitchen Scale
Measuring Jug
Piping Bag
Pan
Parchment Paper
Kitchen Twine
Potato Masher
Slotted Spoon

Steps for Halloween Filled Donuts

While the donut dough is rising, prepare the custard so it can cool.
Pour the milk into a saucepan, then bring it to a boil with the whole lemon peel, being careful to remove only the yellow part.
(I used the lemon peel, but a vanilla bean or a tablespoon of vanilla extract works fine too).
In a separate small pot, mix the eggs with the sugar. (Whole eggs, both yolk and white).
Then add the flour, whisking to remove any lumps.
(You can substitute the flour with cornstarch if desired).
Temper the mixture with a bit of milk poured slowly, being careful to avoid the lemon peel ending up in the cream, and using a strainer. Once all the milk is added, place it back on moderate heat.
Return to the heat, stirring continuously, and you will see that the custard thickens in a few seconds.
Turn off the heat and cover the quick custard with cling film placed in contact.
Let it cool very well before using.
First, boil the potatoes in a pot with plenty of water. When they are soft, let them cool slightly, remove any black parts, mash them with a potato masher, and set them aside.
Dissolve the yeast in warm milk in a glass.
Pour the egg yolks with granulated sugar, cold soft butter, flour, mashed potatoes, grated orange zest, and finally the milk with the yeast into a large bowl.
(You can also create the classic fountain with flour on a clean work surface and place the ingredients in the center and work the mixture).
Work the mixture vigorously for at least ten minutes until it is elastic and well combined.
(If needed and the dough is sticky, add a little flour, if too hard, add a bit of milk as needed).
Form a ball, place the dough in a bowl wrapped with cling film, cover with a clean cloth, and let it rise for about two or three hours until doubled away from drafts or in the oven with the light on.
Gently stretch the dough and start cutting it into pieces of about 60 grams each.
Using kitchen string, divide each piece into 6 sections to recreate the classic pumpkin shape!
Cut squares of parchment paper to place the donuts on.
Place all the donuts under a cloth, spaced apart.
Allow them to rise until doubled.
When the donuts have doubled in volume.
Fry them in a wide pan with high edges using plenty of hot oil, 2-3 at a time, no more, to maintain the oil temperature.
(Oil at 338°F, don’t exceed the smoke point).
Fry while checking the color, turning them on both sides.
Once cooked, place the donuts on absorbent paper.
After drying, while still warm, roll them in granulated sugar to cover completely.
Now fill the piping bag with cold custard.
Make a small hole in the bottom of the donut and fill with custard.
Place the pumpkin donuts on the serving plate.
I used the apple stem to finish the donut in a pumpkin shape.
Enjoy your meal