Zeppole di San Giuseppe (Cream Puffs with Lemon Pastry Cream)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 5 large egg yolks2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup whole milk
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• Drained Amarena cherries
• Powdered sugar

Steps

1. Fill a large bowl with ice and water; set aside. Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl. Whisk in egg yolks until mixture is pale yellow, smooth, and fluffy, about 1 minute; set aside.
2. Bring milk and lemon zest to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium, stirring often. Remove from heat. Slowly pour milk mixture into egg yolk mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly, until all is added. Transfer mixture back to saucepan; cook over medium, whisking constantly, until mixture begins to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes. Once mixture thickens, continue to whisk for 1 minute, pausing every few seconds to check for bubbles. When mixture begins to bubble, set a timer, and continue whisking for 1 minute more. (This step is important to neutralize starch-dissolving protein found in egg yolks.) Remove from heat; whisk in cubed butter until melted and combined. Pour pastry cream through a fine mesh strainer placed over a medium heatproof bowl. Immediately place plastic wrap or buttered parchment paper directly on surface of pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Transfer bowl to prepared ice water, and chill for 30 minutes. Remove from ice water and refrigerate pastry cream until firm, about 2 hours.
3. Bring milk, butter, sugar, and salt to a boil in a large saucepan over high, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; add flour, thoroughly stirring until no lumps remain using a wooden spoon or stiff silicone spatula. Return saucepan to medium-high heat; cook, stirring often, until a thin starchy film forms on bottom of saucepan and dough pulls together into a cohesive ball, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer dough to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; beat on medium until dough registers 145°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 seconds. With mixer on medium, add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until well combined after each addition, about 1 minute total. Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip. (Alternatively, use a large ziplock plastic bag, and cut a 1/2-inch opening in the corner.) Use dough immediately, or keep at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 425°F. On a large piece of parchment paper, draw 8 (3-inch-wide) circles, spacing 3 inches apart (to serve as a guide when piping). Flip parchment so drawing is on underside but still visible and place on a large rimmed baking sheet. Pipe a small amount of dough under each corner of parchment paper to keep parchment in place. Holding piping bag at a 90-degree angle with tip in center of circle, apply even pressure, and move in a spiral motion until batter reaches edges of drawn circle to create a 3-inch disk. To stop piping, cease applying pressure, and swirl pastry tip away. Repeat process with each drawn circle. Create another layer by piping dough in a circle on top of each disk, about 1/2-inch from edge. To smooth surface of any uneven puffs, dip a finger into cold water, and gently pat down any bumps (this will ensure the circle is completely connected when baked).
5. Bake until Zeppole are puffed and light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Without opening oven door, reduce oven temperature to 350°F; bake at 350°F until deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. Turn off oven; partially open oven door, and let stand in oven for 30 minutes, allowing Zeppole to dry and fully set. Remove from oven, and let cool completely, about 15 minutes.
6. Remove Lemon Pastry Cream from refrigerator; let come to room temperature, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
7. Beat softened butter in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium until fluffy and light, about 5 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl and paddle using a flexible spatula. With mixer on medium-low, add room temperature Lemon Pastry Cream, a few tablespoons at a time, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl and paddle as needed, until thoroughly incorporated, about 1 minute. Switch to a whisk attachment, and whip mixture on medium until soft and airy, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip; refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
8. Using a serrated knife, slice each Zeppole in half to create a top and bottom. Working with 1 Zeppole at a time, begin piping with steady pressure to generously fill bottom half of each Zeppole with Lemon Pastry Cream. Cover with top half of each Zeppole; repeat process until Zeppole are filled. Pipe a small rosette of Lemon Pastry Cream on top of each filled Zeppole. Garnish with drained Amarena cherries, and dust with powdered sugar.