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Nutella Bomboloni Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Nutella Bomboloni Recipe

I still remember the first time I bit into a warm bomboloni and watched the Nutella ooze out from the center. I knew right then that I had to recreate this at home. It took me a couple of tries to get the dough soft and pillowy instead of dense, but once I nailed it, this became my go-to treat for lazy weekend mornings
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Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting your work surface
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt to balance the sweetness in the dough
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar for the dough itself
  • 1 cup whole milk warmed to about 110°F so the yeast wakes up without dying
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast the same as one standard packet
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature so it blends in smoothly
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature for even mixing
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract for warmth and flavor in the background
  • Granulated sugar extra, for rolling the fried donuts while they're still warm
  • Nutella about 1 cup, for the filling
  • Vegetable oil for frying, enough to fill your pot halfway

Method
 

  1. I sprinkle the yeast and a teaspoon of sugar over the warmed milk and give it a gentle stir. I let this sit for about ten minutes until it turns foamy on top. If it doesn't foam up, my yeast is usually dead, and I start over with a fresh packet.
  2. I add the flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla into my stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Once the yeast mixture looks bubbly, I pour it in along with the softened butter and eggs. I knead everything on medium speed for about five minutes until the dough turns smooth and pulls away from the bowl.
  3. I turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll it to about half an inch thick. Using my biscuit cutter, I cut out round donuts and set them a couple of inches apart on a floured baking sheet. This spacing keeps them from sticking together as they rise.
  4. I sprinkle a little flour over the tops of the cut dough and cover them with a clean, lint-free kitchen towel. I place the tray somewhere warm and let it rise for about an hour and a half, until the rounds look noticeably puffier.
  5. I heat vegetable oil in a heavy pot to 350°F, filling it only halfway up the sides for safety. I fry the donuts in small batches until they turn a deep golden brown on both sides, then I lift them out with a slotted spoon onto paper towels to drain.
  6. While the bomboloni are still warm, I roll them in granulated sugar so it sticks well. Then I load my piping bag with Nutella and push the tip into the side of each donut, filling it until I feel a little resistance, which tells me it's generously stuffed.

Notes

  • I always check my oil temperature with a thermometer, since guessing leads to greasy or burnt donuts.
  • I let my dough rise in the oven with just the light on, since that gives me a consistently warm spot.
  • I warm my Nutella slightly before piping it, since this makes it flow much more easily into the donuts.
  • I fry only a few bomboloni at a time, since overcrowding the pot drops the oil temperature too fast.
  • I roll the donuts in sugar the moment they come out of the oil, since the sugar won't stick once they cool down