Celebrate National Cream-Filled Doughnut Day!

This is the holiday that many of you have been waiting for…It's Cream-Filled Doughnut Day! Honestly, except for Christmas, this has to be the best day ever! And since Martha Stewart, the queen of happy home-making, has offered up this delicious recipe for vanilla cream-filled doughnuts, it would be disrespectful not to enjoy them. So pay homage to Ms. Stewart and lovely pastries by gorging on these yummy vanilla cream-filled doughnuts!

Ingredients:

• 1 package (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast, or 2/3 ounce fresh cake yeast
• 2/3 cup milk, room temperature
• 3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for baking sheet
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 3 large eggs
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 6 to 8 pieces
• Canola oil, for frying
• 6 tablespoons heavy cream
• Pastry Cream, chilled

Directions:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, stir together yeast and milk; let stand until yeast is dissolved, about 1 minute. Add flour, 1/3 cup sugar, salt, and eggs; mix on low speed until dough comes together, about 1 minute. Continue mixing on low 2 to 3 minutes more. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, mixing after each addition and until butter is fully incorporated and dough is soft, 5 to 6 minutes.

Remove dough from bowl and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 15 hours.

Lightly flour a baking sheet; set aside. On a well-floured work surface, roll out dough into 12-inch square about 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3 1/2-to-4-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out 9 doughnuts. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap; let stand in a warm spot until they've doubled in height and feel poufy and pillowy, 2 to 3 hours.

Fill a large heavy-bottomed saucepan with oil to a depth of 3 inches; heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches, place doughnuts in the hot oil, taking care not to crowd them. Fry until golden brown on one side, 2 to 3 minutes; turn and continue frying on remaining side until golden, 2 to 3 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer doughnuts to a paper towel-lined baking sheet until cool enough to handle.

Place remaining cup of sugar in a small bowl. Toss doughnuts in sugar, one at a time, to evenly coat. Return doughnuts to paper towel-lined baking sheet to cool completely, 30 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in pastry cream; you should have 3 cups of filling. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip; set aside.

Poke a hole in the side of each cooled doughnut and fill with about 1/3 cup filling; serve immediately.

Enjoy!