Bola de Berlim (Portuguese Custard-Filled Doughnuts)
- Prep
- 1 h 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 45 min
- Servings
- 10
- Calories
- 380 kcal
“Olhá a bola de Berlim!” The call rings out on almost every Portuguese beach in summer. The Portuguese bola de Berlim descends from the German Berliner, but instead of jam it’s split open and filled with a thick, yellow egg custard.
It’s said that Jewish refugees fleeing the Second World War brought the recipe to Portugal. Here the jam gave way to egg custard, and the bola de Berlim became the sweet of summer and trips to the beach.
Recipe
Bola de Berlim
The beach sweet par excellence: soft yeasted dough, fried until golden and filled with egg custard. A classic of the Portuguese summer.
Ingredients
Method
- 1For the dough: dissolve the yeast in the warm milk with a spoonful of the sugar. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- 2In a large bowl, make a well in the middle of the flour. Pour in the milk and yeast, the lightly beaten eggs and yolk, the rest of the sugar, the lemon zest, the butter and the salt.
- 3Knead hard by hand (or in a stand mixer with the hook) for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the dough is very elastic, shiny and comes away from the sides of the bowl. Shape it into a ball, cover with a cloth and let it rise somewhere warm for 1 hour (or until doubled).
- 4For the custard: heat the milk with the lemon peel and cinnamon stick until almost boiling. In a bowl, mix the sugar and cornstarch well. Add the yolks and the egg and whisk well. Pour the hot milk slowly over the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Return everything to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring all the time, until it thickens and boils. Take off the heat, pour into a deep plate, cover with cling film touching the surface and let it cool.
- 5Shaping: when the dough has risen, turn it onto a floured counter and cut pieces of about 60 g to 70 g. Shape them into smooth balls, rolling them under your palm on the counter. Put them on a floured tray, cover with a cloth and let them rise again for 30 to 40 minutes (they should be very soft and puffy).
- 6Heat plenty of oil in a deep fryer to 160 °C (325 °F) (no hotter, or they brown fast and stay raw in the middle).
- 7Fry the balls on both sides (they float; turn them halfway). They take about 3 to 4 minutes in total.
- 8Lift out, drain quickly on paper towels and, while still very hot, roll them in granulated sugar.
- 9Once completely cool, cut a slit in the side of each one (without separating the halves) with scissors or a serrated knife, and fill generously with the cold custard using a piping bag.
Tips
Let the dough rise until light and airy before frying. Keep the oil at about 160 °C (325 °F) so the doughnuts don’t stay raw inside and burn outside. Roll them in sugar as soon as they come out of the oil.
For a less sweet version, put less sugar in the custard and dust the doughnuts with powdered sugar instead.
Filled with custard, they keep in the fridge and should be eaten within 2 days. You can freeze the shaped balls after the first rise; thaw and let them rise slowly before frying.
