Banana Cream Pie Donuts

Serves 4 · 50 min prep · 30 min cook

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups bread flour
• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup warm whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 6 cups neutral oil for frying
• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk for pastry cream
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar for cream
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 egg yolks for cream
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter for cream
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup crushed vanilla wafer cookies
• 1 banana fresh banana slices for garnish

Instructions

1. 1Bloom the yeast in the warm milk with a spoonful of the sugar until foamy. In a large bowl combine the remaining sugar, bread flour, and salt.
2. 2Add the yeast mixture, whole egg, egg yolk, and melted butter to the dry ingredients. Stir and then knead until a soft, elastic dough forms that feels smooth and slightly tacky.
3. 3Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled and full of air bubbles.
4. 4Meanwhile prepare the banana pastry cream: mash one ripe banana thoroughly. Heat the milk until steaming. Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks in a separate bowl, then slowly temper with the hot milk.
5. 5Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens to a pudding consistency. Off heat stir in the mashed banana, vanilla, and butter. Chill until cold and set.
6. 6Roll the risen dough to half-inch thickness and cut into rounds. Proof the cut donuts on parchment until noticeably puffy.
7. 7Heat oil to 350°F and fry the donuts in batches, flipping once, until deep golden and cooked through. Cool completely on a wire rack.
8. 8Whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar to medium-stiff peaks. Fold half the whipped cream into the chilled banana pastry cream for a light, pie-like filling; reserve the rest for topping.
9. 9Cut a slit or use a piping tip to fill each cooled donut generously with the banana cream until plump. Pipe or spoon a swirl of the remaining whipped cream on top, then sprinkle with crushed vanilla wafers and finish with a fresh banana slice so the cream-filled donut remains the unmistakable hero.