Basic Yeast-Raised Doughnut:
(Yield 12 medium cream filled donuts)
5 Tbsp warm water (between 110 and 115 degrees)
1 package 0.25 oz Active Dry Yeast
1/8 cup unsalted butter cut into pieces
5 Tbsp whole milk
5 Tbsp sugar
1 egg lightly beaten
Pinch salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
Canola Oil for frying
Coconut Pastry Cream:
1 can (14 fluid ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean
pinch kosher salt
3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
Coconut sugar glaze:
To make the doughnut, make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.
Melt butter with milk in small sauce pot over medium heat. Take off heat and set aside to cool to lukewarm.
Add the milk mixture to the yeast mixture along with sugar, eggs, salt, nutmeg, vanilla, and half of the flour. Mix with a whisk attachment until combined.
Switch to the dough hook attachment and gradually add remaining flour. Mix until the dough looks elastic, slightly sticky and not dry. About 3-4 minutes. The dough should peel easily off the side of the mixer bowl.
Transfer dough into greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside in warm, draft-free location until doubled in size (about 40 minutes).
Gently roll out dough on lightly floured surface to ½ inch thickness. Punch out doughnuts with lightly floured cutters (2.5 inches for filled or 3 inches for classic). Place well-spaced on well-floured baking sheet. Scraps can be reused by gently pressing them together.
Let the punched-out doughnuts rise again in a draft-free location until doubled in size, about 40 minutes.
Heat 3 inches of oil in pot or deep fryer to 365 degrees Fahrenheit. When oil is hot, fry a few at a time (do not overcrowd). Fry until lightly golden on one side (1 minute), then flip over with spoon and fry for another minute. Using a slotted spoon remove each doughnut and drain them on paper towels.
Let the doughnuts cool. Place parchment under a wire rack and use this to assemble your donuts.
![]() |
This is what you want your doughnuts to look like after they have been fried. The white line through the centre means they have been proofed properly. |
Cover the cream with plastic wrap pressed right against the pastry cream. This will prevent a thick skin from forming on the surface. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Once it is cold, stir the pastry cream to loosen. Whip the 1/2 cup cream to medium peaks. Stir the whipped cream into the pastry cream to lighten.