Authentic Polish Paczki Recipes

AUTHENTIC POLISH PACZKI

Steps:

• Beat egg yolks with the salt in the small bowl of an electric mixer at high speed until the mixture is thick and piles softly, about 7 minutes.
• Soften yeast in warm water.
• Cream butter, add sugar to it gradually, beating until fluffy.
• Slowly beat in the softened yeast.
• Stir one fourth of the flour into the yeast mix.
• Add rum/brandy and half of the cream.
• Beat in another fourth of the flour.
• Stir in remaining cream.
• Beat in half of the remaining flour and then the egg yolk mixture.
• Beat for 2 minutes.
• Gradually beat in the remaining flour until the dough blisters.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
• Set in a warm place to rise.
• When it has doubled in bulk, punch it down.
• Cover and let rise again until doubled.
• Punch it down again.
• Roll dough on a floured surface to about 3/4 inch thickness.
• Cut out 3 inch rounds using a cookie cutter or glass.
• Put 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of half the circles.
• Brush the edges with water.
• Top with the remaining rounds.
• Seal the edges very well.
• Cover the paczki on a floured surface.
• Let rise about 20 minutes.
• Deep fry in the hot fat until they are golden brown on both sides.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with honey.

POLISH DONUTS PąCZKI RECIPE

Steps:

• If it's cold in your kitchen, heat your oven to 86°F (30°C).
• Sift the flour.
• Warm up the milk.
• Using a spoon, mix yeast with 1 tbsp of sugar. Add 3 tbsps of warm milk and 1 tbsp of flour. Mix and leave it for 30 minutes to grow.The mixture will double or triple its size, that's why you should place it in a big bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen cloth. If it's cold in your kitchen, place a bowl in the oven heated to 86°F (30°C).
• In the meantime, beat egg yolks with sugar until they change the color to whitish. If you are using the pudding filling, it's the right time to do it (read how to do it below).
• After 30 minutes, mix all the ingredients for the dough together. You may knead it manually or use a food processor. Knead until the dough starts to detach from your hand.
• Place the dough in a big bowl, cover with a clean kitchen cloth, and leave to grow for about 30-60 minutes until it doubles its size. Again, if it's cold in your kitchen, place the bowl in the oven.
• When the dough has doubled its size, knead it briefly to remove excessive air bubbles.
• Pour the oil into the wok or big pot and start heating it up.
• Start forming pączki. Each should have the size of the tangerine.
• Cover pączki with a kitchen cloth and wait until the oil is ready to fry.How to check whether the oil is hot enough? Throw a small piece of the dough into the oil. If it stays on the bottom, the oil is still too cold. If the dough comes straight up to the surface, the oil is ready to fry.
• Fry pączki for about 3-5 minutes on each side.
• After frying, place the pączki on a plate lined with paper towels to remove the excessive fat.
• Pour one cup of milk into the pot.
• Add egg yolks, sugar, and whip it together until you will get a smooth, yellow color.
• Place a pot on the stove, cook slowly, stirring frequently.
• In the meantime, pour half a cup of milk into the small bowl.
• Add potato flour. Mix until dissolved.
• When the mixture in the pot nearly boils, add milk with potato starch and mix until you will get the consistency of pudding.
• Mix 1 cup of icing sugar with 1 tbsp water and heat up until you get a smooth consistency.
• When the donuts are still warm, fill them up with jam or pudding using a big syringe (like this). You will need about 30-50ml of filling per donut.
• If you are using sugar glaze, pour them onto warm pączki. You may add candied orange peel as well.
• Alternatively, you may use icing sugar. Sprinkle it when the pączki are cold.

BAKED PACZKI FOR MARDI GRAS

Steps:

• Mix 2 cups flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large mixer bowl.
• Heat milk, butter and honey until very warm (120° to 130°F). Add to flour mixture with rum, egg yolks and egg; beat 1 minute at low speed.
• Increase speed to medium and beat 2 minutes.
• Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
• Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thickness. Use a 3-inch cookie or biscuit cutter, to cut out as many rounds as possible.
• Place rounds about 2 to 3 inches apart on parchment lined or lightly greased baking sheets. Re-roll and cut remaining dough.
• Cover and let rise in a warm, draft free place 45 minutes to 1 hour, until doubled in size.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• For glaze, mix honey and melted butter; set aside.
• Bake 10 minutes. Brush glaze over packzi and continue baking for 2 to 4 minutes until light golden brown. If desired, brush again with any remaining glaze.
• Let cool slightly, then dust or roll in sugar or powdered sugar.
• Fillings:.
• Fruit or custard: Use a knife to cut a small slit in side of paczki. Use a small spoon (or pipe with pastry tip and bag) to insert a heaping teaspoonful. (vanilla rum custard or pudding is amazing!).
• Chocolate: Use your finger to gently poke a small hole in side of paczki and insert 1 teaspoon chocolate chips into center of paczki while still warm.