YOU WILL NEED
2 eggs (room temp)
1/2 cup milk (room temp)
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt (skip this if using salted butter)
1/2 lemon, zested
2 cups + 2/3 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp active dry yeast
Topping:
4 - 6 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
Filling Options:
Nutella
Fresh Raspberry Jelly/Jam (recipe below)
LET’S DO THIS!
1 In a large bowl/stand mixer, whisk together eggs, milk, butter, sugar, vanilla, salt and lemon zest.
2 Using dough hook on low speed, add in 2 1/4 cup flour and yeast and blend until dough is smooth, about 3 mins. (Can mix by hand using rubber spatula as well). Once dough is blended, turn out onto well floured counter.
3 Kneading with your hands, add remaining 1/4 cup flour until smooth and soft (the dough should no longer be very sticky, but not over-worked either). You have to use your instincts here, the dough should still be soft but not overly sticky.
4 Finish kneading dough into smooth round ball and place in lightly greased bowl. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 2 - 3 hours, until doubled in size. (If you are making dough night before, you can place dough in the fridge to slow-proof overnight. But make sure to bring it back to room temperature before proceeded with the next step, 30 - 60 mins.)
5 Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with flour. When ready, turn dough out onto well floured counter. If the dough is slightly sticky, don’t be afraid to use more flour. This dough is very forgiving. Sprinkle rolling pin with flour and roll dough to about 1/2 inch thickness.
6 Using a 3 inch round cutter, cut out as many circles as you can and place on prepared baking sheet. (It is OK to re-roll dough a few times to get as many circles as you can.) Set aside in warm area to rest for 1 hour. They should rise considerably. Preheat oven to 400°F while dough rises.
7 Bake bomboloni for 12 - 14 mins until tops are a golden brown and toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer onto wire rack.
8 For the topping- Melt butter and set aside. Place sugar in a wide bowl. When bomboloni’s are cool enough to handle, brush the tops with butter and dip into sugar. Set aside on wire rack to cool completely before filling.
9 Fill each bomboloni with desired filling by inserting pastry bag tip, 3/4 of the way in, and pulling out as you squeeze. Fill from 2 opposite ends of bomboloni to get a good amount of filling inside each one.
FRESH RASPBERRY JELLY FILLING
2 cups fresh raspberries
1 1/2 - 2 cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
Bring raspberries to a boil in a medium-large saucepan. Cook for 3 - 4 mins. Add sugar and lemon juice; stir well. Bring back to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook for another 4 mins. Let cool completely before filling bomboloni’s.