Place 1 Cup of raw sunflower seeds (not in shell) on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes until slightly brown. (option to coat in honey before toasting)

Set aside to cool.

*make Creme Patissiere prior to baking pastry.

Preheat 350 F and prepare a six doughnut baking tray.

Heat until butter is melted, stirring with a rubber spatula.

Once the butter is melted, turn temperature to a medium-low heat.

Add all the flour at once, whisk quickly to incorporate and make smooth.

Use the spatula to press and fold the batter as it firms.

This should slightly dry the mixture, cooking the flour. (about 1 minute)

Remove from heat and transfer to bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment.

Turn mixer on to a medium low speed and let some of the hot air work out of the dough. (30 seconds)

Add one egg at a time. Stopping to scrape sides and bottom of bowl between each egg.

Don't over beat the dough. It will curdled at first, but soon turn into a nice uniform shiny consistency.

You will know its ready, when you turn off the mixer and lift the paddle. If the dough hangs from the paddle without dripping off right away its done.

Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a 2 inch round piping tip.

Pipe 5-6 large balls in a circular shape around the doughnut rings.

Smooth tops with a wet finger.

Brush lightly with egg wash.

Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

*Make Creme Patissiere then place in the fridge to set.

Combine eggs, flour, cornstarch, and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk together to form a paste.

In medium saucepan, bring milk and heavy cream to almost a boil. (just starting to bubble in the center)

Remove hot milk from heat and slowly pour into bowl of egg paste. Whisking constantly to prevent eggs from cooking.

Once all milk is incorporated, pour mixture back into saucepan on stove.

On medium heat continue to whisk as the cream thickens.

The thick cream should start to bubble after a couple of minutes.

Remove from heat, then add chopped butter and vanilla.

Stir until butter is melted and cream is smooth.

Transfer cream to a metal sieve and press through into another bowl using a rubber spatula.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap, pressing plastic directly onto cream to prevent a skin forming.

Place in fridge and chill for 2-3 hrs.

Once pastry is baked and cooled remove cream from fridge.

Transfer to bowl of stand mixer and add sunflower butter.

Whisk until smooth.

Scoop sunflower pastry cream into a piping bag fitted with a 2 inch star piping tip.

Slice baled pastry in half to create a top and bottom.

Pipe 5-6 dullops of sunflower cream in a circle on bottom half of pastry.

Sprinkle toasted sunflower seeds onto cream.

Place top of pastry onto cream.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar.