For the Donuts

Cup of Yum
1. Grease a medium bowl with oil or nonstick spray. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly flour it. Line a wire rack with paper towels. Set all aside.
2. Combine the warm water, milk, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Whisk to dissolve the yeast. Allow the yeast to proof for about 5 minutes or until it starts to foam.
3. Add the remaining donut ingredients to the bowl with the yeast mixture. Stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook or to a clean work surface to knead by hand. Knead on low speed (or by hand) for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is nice and smooth.
4. Place the dough into the greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.
5. Punch the dough down and roll out on a lightly floured surface to ½-inch thick. Use a 3-inch cutter to cut the donuts. Place the donuts onto the prepared baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and let proof for 15 minutes. Re-roll the remaining dough, cut out the remaining donuts and add them to the baking sheet.
6. Heat 2 inches of oil in a Dutch oven to 350-360°F. Drop 2-3 donuts at a time and fry until golden, about 2 minutes per side.
7. Remove the donuts from the oil and place on the prepared paper towel-covered wire rack. Let cool before filling.

For the Pastry Cream

1. Add the sugar, cornstarch, and milk to a large saucepan and mix until smooth. Cook, stirring continuously, over medium heat until mixture begins to thicken and boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
2. Add a little bit of mixture to the egg yolks and whisk together, then add the egg mixture back to the milk mixture. Place the saucepan back on the heat and bring to a light boil. Allow to boil for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add in the butter and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Pour into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and press it directly on surface. Refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.

For the Chocolate Glaze

1. Add the chocolate chips to a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Add the cream to a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Heat until just below boiling point.
3. Pour the heated cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 1 minute. Whisk it all together until the chocolate it fully melted.
4. Fill a piping bag with a round tip with the cream. Using a small knife, cut a hole in the side of each donut about ¾ of the way into the donut and pipe a generous amount of vanilla cream into the center of the donut.
5. Swirl the top of the donut in the glaze and allow to sit for about 10 minutes before serving.