Doughnut filling can be thrilling

Anyone with a passion for the baking and pastry arts is likely to try their hand at making doughnuts. These circles of fried dough are instant crowd-pleasers, filling a room with a delicious aroma and inviting everyone to grab one (or two). While there’s nothing wrong with an old-school chocolate glazed or jelly doughnut, chefs have become increasingly adventurous about toppings and fillings in recent years.

Creating an unusual and delicious filled doughnut is a great way to get people’s attention and deliver a truly memorable dessert. Try these unconventional approaches to an old favorite and see if you can come up with exciting new ideas of your own for filling a doughnut with amazing flavors.

The irresistible taste of a peanut butter cream-filled doughnut

When it comes to bringing smiles to people’s faces, peanut butter is almost as effective as doughnuts. That makes it a natural choice to add the classic spread to a batch of confections. How Sweet Eats provided directions for a batch of these eye-catching treats, beginning with stirring together milk and active dry yeast in an electric mixer bowl.

After the yeast dissolves, mix in granulated sugar, salt, vanilla extract and three eggs at medium-low speed. Add seven tablespoons of softened butter a little at a time, followed by a little flour to reduce stickiness. Once everything is combined, cover in plastic wrap and chill for six hours.

While the dough is in the refrigerator, start making the pastry cream by stirring together flour, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk four egg yolks. Then, gradually whisk the dry ingredients into the egg.

Pour warm milk in to the mixture as you continue to whisk. Then transfer into a saucepan and mix while it thickens and begins to boil. Strain the mixture before adding vanilla extract and peanut butter, covering the bowl and refrigerating for at least four hours.

Move the dough onto a floured surface, rolling it out to a half-inch thickness. Cut into rounds, transferring onto a baking sheet. Allow two or three hours for the dough to rise, doubling in size.

Place oil in a saucepan and heat at medium-high until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry the doughnuts in batches, allowing two or three minutes on each side for them to turn golden brown. Move onto paper towels to drain.

Once the doughnuts cool off, roll in sugar. Use your mixer to beat heavy cream until you stiff peaks. Fold in the pastry cream and transfer to a pastry bag.

Add a little of the filling to the inside of each doughnut. Prepare a chocolate topping by warming up heavy cream and pouring onto chopped chocolate. Drizzle onto the doughnuts and serve.

Combine amazing desserts with a dulce de leche churro doughnut

An amusement park staple, churros are another great dessert made from fried dough, commonly covered in cinnamon sugar. Like doughnuts, these pastries may be filled, and they are often paired with the sweetened milk confection, dulce de leche. Oh, Sweet Basil suggested an easy method to make filled doughnuts inspired by this classic combination.

You can prepare homemade dulce de leche by slowly cooking down a mixture of milk, sugar and baking soda until it caramelizes and then mixing in vanilla. Otherwise, just melt down a store-bought variety and move into a pastry bag. Fill each doughnut with the confection, and then roll them in a mixture of cinnamon sugar and powdered sugar.

Part of what makes doughnuts so much fun is their versatility. With some inspiration and baking skills, you can create a wide range of awesome fillings and toppings.