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.

BUSIA'S AUTHENTIC POLISH PACZKI

Steps:

• 1. Dissolve 2 pkgs dry yeast in the warm water for about 10 minutes until it begins to foam.
• 2. Add 2 cups cooled, scalded milk and 2 cups flour and beat well.
• 3. Add the 4 egg yolks and 1 whole egg, sugar, melted butter, vanilla, salt and nutmeg. Beat until light and fluffy.
• 4. Add 4 cups of the flour and the raisins (toss the raisins in a bit of flour before adding to dough). Mix well. Dust a flat surface with a small amount of the remaining flour and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes, using the remaining flour as needed. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with film and place in a warm spot to raise for 1 hour.
• 5. Turn 1/2 of the dough out on a floured surface and pat out 1/2 inch thick. Cut circles with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter. Place cut out dough on a floured pan or towel. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise until double, about 45 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough.
• 6. Pour enough vegetable or canola oil into a heavy pot or an electric frying pan to fill about 1/2 full. Using a candy thermometer, heat oil to deep fry temp. Gently drop in 4 or 5 paczki into the oil. When golden brown on one side flip the paczki over to fry on the other side. Use a long needle or a toothpick to poke into the center of the paczki; if no dough sticks to the needle, the dough is cooked. Remove paczki from oil and place on layers of paper towels or plain brown paper bag to drain and cool.
• 7. In a small paper bag, put about 1/2 cup of either powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. Add a paczki, close bag and shake to cover with sugar and serve. Paczki get stale after a day so place unused paczki in a freezer zip bag. Remove only what you need. Defrost and sugar them when you want more:)

PACZKI: POLISH DONUTS

Steps:

• In a bowl put a tablespoon of flour, 3 tablespoons of warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Mix it all well, cover with a rag and set aside for 20 minutes. It should become all fluffy and foamy.
• Mix the rest of the flour with egg yolks and melted butter. Then add the rest of your milk (not warm this time) and rum. The rum will make your paczki absorb less oil when frying later.
• Knead the dough with hands for about 5 minutes. Cover with a rag and set to grow in a warm place for about 45 mins to an hour - you can use an oven shelf for that.
• Once the dough is grown, set some flour on the dough board. Roll out the fluffy dough gently to a thickness of about 1" and cut out round paczki (you can use a bigger cup or glass to do it).
• Form your cut out paczki round, but slightly flatter on top and bottom.
• Fry them in oil heated to 345 F for about 2/3 minutes on each side, then place on paper towels to remove the excess oil.
• Once cooled down, stuff them with a filling of your choice. You can sprinkle powdered sugar on top or prepare frosting with melted sugar and candied orange peels.

AUTHENTIC POLISH PACZKI

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, heat milk until steaming with small bubbles forming around the edges (about 180F). Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm (about 105F).
• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve yeast in the lukewarm milk and let stand for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of the flour. Mix together and let stand for 20-30 minutes, until really bubbly.
• In the meantime, beat the yolks in a small bowl until they are light and fluffy.
• To the proofed yeast mixture, add the melted butter and sugar and mix. Add salt and vanilla. Add beaten egg yolks. Slowly add more of the flour to bowl in small increments, adding just until you have a soft dough that is moist ,but not sticky. Remove dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead 1 minute (adding a bit more flour if it is sticking to your hands or the work surface). Form dough into a ball.
• Grease a clean bowl and add dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled. (This dough is a bit of a slow riser, so expect this rise to be up to 90 minutes).
• Deflate dough and pat out onto floured cutting board. With a rolling pin, gently roll into a 1/2-inch thick circle. Gently cut out circles with 3-inch biscuit cutter. Place onto a parchment lined baking sheet, cover with a clean tea towel and let rise until doubled (about 30 minutes). *You can re-roll the scraps and cut more pieces, though they are never quite as neat as the first cuts. I like to use the ugliest of these ones as "test" ones, to test the temperature of the oil. I fry one, let cool, then cut it open to make sure it is cooking all the way through. I can then adjust time/temperature, as needed from there.
• Meanwhile, heat oil to 360°F. Fry paczki until golden on one side, flip and fry the other side. Don't try to cook too many at a time so you don't reduce the temperature of the oil by adding too many at once. Don't rush the frying, to be sure they are cooked through well. Fry until they are a deep golden colour. Remove paczki to a cooling rack for about 30 seconds, then immediately roll in granulated sugar. Let stand until completely cooled.
• Once cooled, using a sharp knife, poke a hole on the side. Use a pastry bag with a large plain tip to pipe the jam or custard filling inside.
• These are best when freshly made, but you can freeze any extras.

PACZKI FOR FAT THURSDAY (TLUSTY CZWARTEK)

Steps:

• Stir 1 cup flour into boiling milk
• Remove from heat and beat until smooth
• Cool
• Dissolve yeast in the 1/4 cup milk
• Add to the flour mixture
• Stir and let stand half an hour
• Cream egg yolks and sugar, add vanilla and orange rind
• Stir into the dough when it begins to rise
• Add remaining flour and butter and beat until it forms a sticky dough
• Cover and let stand 45-60 minutes, until doubled in size
• Turn out on a floured board, knead just a few times
• Divide dough in half and roll to 1/4 inch thick if you're sandwiching two pieces together 1/2 inch thick if you'll be filling after cooking
• Cut out circles
• Place a teaspoon of jam, the fruit only, not runny syrup, on half of the circles
• Cover with remaining circles, press edges together
• Cover and let rise again for about 30 minutes
• Fry a few at a time in deep fat, 340 -345 F for about 4 minutes, taking care not to burn the dough
• Drain and serve rolled in powdered sugar, granulated sugar, or glaze