Make the Custard:

1. Whisk the salt, cornstarch, sugar and egg yolks in a medium sized bowl. Beat the mixture for about 1 minutes, until combined and the mixture is a pale yellow color.

2. In a medium saucepan, add milk and heavy cream over medium-high heat. Heat just until the milk/heavy cream begins to bubble around the edges, then remove from the heat.

3. While beating the egg mixture with a whisk, slowly drizzle in roughly ½ cup of the hot milk mixture. Add the warmed egg mixture to the rest of the milk mixture in the medium saucepan, whisking to combine. Return the pan to the stovetop over medium heat.

4. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and butter, until smooth and combined.

5. Transfer custard to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard (this helps prevent a skin from forming). Refrigerate for 2 hours, ot until completely cooled.

Make the Doughnuts:

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook attachment, add warm milk, yeast, sugar, flour vanilla, salt, egg and softened butter. Knead the dough for 5 minutes on medium speed. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Spray the top of the dough with nonstick cooking spray, then cover with plastic wrap.

2. Allow the dough to rise for 1 ½ hours at room temperature. Alternatively, you can turn the oven on to 100F. Once the oven reaches this temperature, turn the oven off. Place the covered dough in the oven for 45 minutes.

3. While the dough rises, cut out 10 4×4 inch pieces of parchment paper. Lightly spray the parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray. Set parchment paper on a sheet pan.

4. Punch the dough down, then turn out dough onto a floured surface. Roll the dough out to ½ inch thickness. Using a heart or 3 inch circle cookie cutter, cut the dough into desired shapes. Repeat this process using the scraps of dough, combining together and re-rolling into ½ inch thickness. Place the doughnuts onto the cut out pieces of parchment paper.

5. Cover dough and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour. Alternatively, you can turn your oven to 100F. Once the oven reaches this temperature, turn the oven off. Place the covered doughnuts in the warm oven to rise for 30 minutes.

6. When the dough is almost done rising, fill a large pot or deep pan with vegetable oil 3 inches deep. Place over medium heat until it reaches 325-350F. Line a baking tray with paper towels, or place paper towels underneath a wire cooling rack.

7. Fry the doughnuts, 3-4 at a time, making sure to not crowd the pot. Carefully place parchment paper square in oil, then using tongs, pull the parchment paper square out from underneath the doughnut. Fry on each side until golden brown, flipping halfway through. Transfer doughnuts to paper towel lined baking tray or wire cooling rack, lined with paper towels underneath. Repeat with remaining doughnuts.

Filling the Doughnuts

1. Use the back of a spoon to poke a hole deep into one side of the doughnut. Move the back of the spoon handle back and forth to open up a cavity for the filling to go into.

2. Using a piping bag, or a zip-top bag with one corner snipped, place the pastry cream in the bag. Insert the piping bag into the hole of each doughnut and fill with custard.

The Brulee Topping

1. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, add the sugar and water. Do not stir the mixture, as it will cause the sugar to crystallize. Allow the mixture to come to a gentle boil, swirling the pan occasionally. The color will start to turn golden. Turn the heat to low and allow the color to become golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat.

2. Wearing a glove on the hand you plan to dip the doughnuts with, grab a doughnut and carefully and gently, dip one side of the doughnut into the caramelized sugar. Lift the doughnut from the caramelized sugar, and tilt it away from your fingers, allowing the excess to drip for a second or two, then place aside to cool.

3. Repeat with remaining doughnuts. If the caramel begins to harden, place the pan back on the heat, swirling to gently warm up the mixture.