Paczki (Polish Donuts)
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup milk (lukewarm)
- 2 tablespoon butter (unsalted, melted)
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- vegetable oil (for frying)
- fruit preserves (for filling, such as raspberry or strawberry jam, custard, lemon curd)
- powdered sugar (for coating)
Instructions
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Mix wet ingredients: In a medium size bowl combine the eggs, milk, butter, sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Add the yeast and mix well.
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Make dough: Add the flour to the bowl of your mixer, then pour in the milk/egg mixture. Using the dough hook, mix well until well incorporated. You will know that the dough is done when it comes clean from the sides of the bowl. The dough will be a soft dough.
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Prepare dough and let rise: Turn over the dough onto a floured surface and knead for a couple minutes, then place the dough in a bowl that’s sprayed with cooking spray. I also like to spray the dough with some cooking spray so that it doesn’t dry out. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise for a couple hours. The dough should double in size.
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Roll dough and cut rounds: Roll out the dough on a floured surface so that’s it’s about 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut out rounds using a glass or a cookie cutter. Repeat with the remaining dough. Place the donuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let them rise again for about 30 minutes until doubled in size.
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Fry donuts: Add about 3 inches of oil to a deep frying pan, I used a Dutch Oven. Before frying the donuts make sure the oil is hot, it needs to be 350℉. Fry the donuts, about 5 or 6 at a time until golden brown on both sides. Make sure you turn them on both sides to fry them evenly.
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Cool: Transfer the donuts to a large bowl lined with paper towels to drain some of the excess oil. Allow them to cool until you are able to handle them.
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Fill: Using a piping bag and a filing tip, pipe your favorite filling into the sides of the paczki.
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Roll the donuts in powdered or granulated sugar then serve.
Notes
- These paczki are best the same day they are made. If having leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- If using active dry yeast, please make sure you activate it first by dissolving it in a bit of warm water. If it does not begin to froth up, do not continue with the recipe. Subtract the quantity of water used from the milk.
- Always check the expiration date on your yeast and make sure it hasn’t expired. All your yeast products whether it’s in a jar or a package should be stamped with a “Best if Used by” date. Always make sure you check this date, even when you purchase the yeast, who knows it could have been on the shelf past its expiry date.
- To keep your yeast fresh and longer lasting, unopened yeast packages or jars should be stored in a cool or dry place such as your cupboard. However, you can also store your yeast in the fridge or freezer. If you do store it in the freezer and need to use yeast for your baking, make sure you take out the amount you need and let it sit at room temperature for at least half hour before using.
- Once your yeast package or jar has been opened, you must refrigerate the yeast or freeze it in an airtight container.
- One thing to remember about your yeast, is that it is a living organism and over time it will lose activity, even if you’ve never opened the jar or package. So if you don’t bake often, buy the smaller yeast packages rather than a big jar of yeast.
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