5-Hour Donuts

Instructions

• Make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.
• In a liquid measuring cup, combine the egg, egg yolk, buttermilk, milk, vanilla, and melted butter.
• Turn the mixer to medium-low speed. Slowly pour in the wet ingredients, then mix for 4–6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and supple.
• Grease a large bowl and a spatula with nonstick spray. Use the spatula to scrape the dough into the greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set somewhere warm to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• While the dough is rising, make the pastry cream: Add the milk to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Add the egg and egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth.
• Slowly add about ½ cup (120 ml) of the warm milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly to increase the temperature gradually without cooking the eggs.
• Pour the egg mixture into the pot of milk and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, 2–3 minutes.
• Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla, and lemon juice.
• Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly against the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool to room temperature for 30 minutes, then chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Once the pastry cream has cooled, stir in the rainbow sprinkles. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round metal tip.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease with nonstick spray.
• Punch the dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out to ½-inch ( ¼ cm) thick. Using a 3-inch round cutter, punch out donuts without holes. Reroll the excess dough once to cut out more donuts. You should have 6–8 total.
• Transfer the donuts to the prepared baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel. Set aside for 1–2 hours, until doubled in size.
• While donuts are rising, make the frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the mascarpone, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla, salt, and pitaya powder. Whip on medium speed until soft peaks form, 5 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (180°C).
• Working in batches, fry the donuts in the hot oil until golden brown, 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Pipe the pastry cream into the center of each donut.
• Dip each donut in the frosting, then cover liberally with rainbow sprinkles.
• Enjoy!