Pistachio Donuts: the recipe for a delicious dessert

The pistachio donuts are an equally greedy variant of the classic Italian zeppole recipe. These soft choux puffs, baked in the oven and therefore lighter than their original version, welcome a soft and voluptuous filling based on mascarpone cheese, fresh cream and pistachio spreadable cream. A generous sprinkling of powdered sugar, as tradition requires, and the pistachio donuts are ready to be served at the table at the end of the meal, accompanied by a good coffee. The result will be an irresistible delicacy, an explosion of different compactness with each bite. So let’s find out how to prepare perfect pistachio donuts by following our recipe step by step.

How to make Pistachio Donuts

Collect the butter in a saucepan and add the water (1) and fine salt, then put on the heat and bring to a boil.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour in the flour, all at once (2), stirring with a wooden spoon.

Put the saucepan back on low heat and stir until the mixture begins to detach from the saucepan (3). Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool.

Transfer the mixture to a planetary mixer, mount the leaf hook and stir in the beaten eggs (4), one drop at a time.

When the dough appears shiny, dense but still firm (5), turn off the planetary mixer and transfer to a pastry bag with a star nozzle.

Form double circles, one for each sweet fritter, on a baking sheet lined with a sheet of parchment paper (6).

Then bake the donuts in a static oven at 230 degrees C for 10-15 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 190 degrees C and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, monitoring the level of browning. At this point, lower the oven temperature further to 160 degrees C and finish with another 10 minutes, with the oven door ajar. Finally remove the donuts from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for cakes (7).

Collect the cold cream and the cold mascarpone cheese in the jug of a planetary mixer and whisk until you will get a very firm cream. Add the pistachio cream (8) and mix gently.

Cut the donuts in half and, with the help of a pastry bag, fill them with the pistachio cream (9).

Close the donuts and garnish the surface with a sprig of cream, chopped pistachios and whole pistachios, peeled and cut in half. Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar (10).

Bring your pistachio donuts to the table and serve them to the guests (11).

How to store Pistachio Donuts

The pistachio donuts can be stored for about 2 days in the refrigerator, closed in a special airtight container.