Paczki

Given that it is "that" time of year (almost Mardi Gras)... Our local grocery stores started carrying these this week. I haven't made them myself yet, but I think this is going to be our weekend activity. I'm not sure where I got the recipe from but there is a cookbook source at the end.

Found a webpage to explain, if ya don't know what a paczki is! All about Polish Paczki

Paczki
4 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast (4 tablespoons)
1/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F.)
2 tablespoons plus 1 cup granulated sugar
6 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups milk, warmed
12 egg yolks
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, melted, cooled
1/2 cup margarine, melted, cooled
2 tablespoons Polish spirits or rum
About 3/4 cup thick cherry jam or other favorite jam
Vegetable oil
Powdered sugar

Grease 3 baking sheets. in a medium bowl dissolve yeast in water. Stir in 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Blend in milk until smooth. Let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.

In a large bowl beat egg yolks, 1 cup granulated sugar, salt and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add yeast mixture, melted butter and margarine, 3 cups flour and spirits (strong vodka will work too) or rum. Work mixture into a soft dough, adding flour as needed. Turn out dough on a
lightly floured surface. Clean and grease bowl.

Knead dough 8 to 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic, working in additional flour as needed. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover and let rise in a warm plac e, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

On flat surface, roll out about 1 cup raised dough until 1/4 inch thick. Keep remaining dough covered to prevent drying. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out dough. Place 1/2 teaspo on jam on 1 dough round. Lightly place another dough round directly on top of the first, covering
the jam. Using your fingers, crimp dough edges together tightly to prevent halves from separating during frying.

Place filled doughnut on a flat working su rface. Using a 2 1/4-inch round cutter, press over doughnut so crimped rough edge gets trimmed smooth and round. Place filled doughnut on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Repeat process with remaining dough and jam until all baking sheets are filled, bei ng careful to leave enough room between each doughnut for spreading when dough rises.

Cover each baking sheet of doughnuts with a clean cloth. Let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Pour oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to a depth of about 5 inches. Heat to 360 degrees F or until a 1-inch bread cube turns golden brown in 60 seconds. (check the temperature of oil with a slice of potato).

Add doughnut without crowding, (so they have room to swim in the oil), raised or top-side down, so bottom will round out during cooking. Fry 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Turn and fry other side about 3 minutes or until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Dust
paczki with powdered sugar. Makes 50 to 60 doughuts.

Tip: can add raw potato slices to help cool down the oil when it gets too hot!

Recipe from: "Polish Cooking," by Marianna Olszewska, (The Berkley Publishing Group, 1991).