Pulaskis Favorite Pontshki Polish Doughnuts Recipes

PULASKI'S FAVORITE PONTSHKI ( POLISH DOUGHNUTS)

Steps:

• Mix crumbled yeast cake in lukewarm milk. Add the smaller amount of flour & set to rise in a warm place, covered with warm cloth, 20-25 minutes.
• Stir butter, lemon rind (optional) sugar, mace or nutmeg & salt together.
• Add the warm flour & egg yolks.
• Mix this with yeast sponge & add enough lukewarm milk to make a dough as thick as bread dough.
• Add butter, melted & cooled, & beat thoroughly for 10-15 minutes or until bubbles appear on surface of dough.
• Cover& allow to rise about 20 minutes, then mix it lightly again.
• Flour a board & take out small portions at a time.
• Roll out to 1/3-inch thickness & cut in 2 to 2- 1/2 inch rounds.
• For filling, use prune jam, marmalade or jelly.
• Place filling in center of each dough round, leaving enough space around filling to press down & top round.
• Wet edges before doing this.
• Close edges tightly but do not spread dough out too large, trim edges again with cutter.
• Lay on floured board to rise for about 1 hour or more.
• They must be about twice their thickness.
• Cover with warm cloth.
• FRY in deep hot fat (360-370°F )& when golden brown on both sides, drain & sprinkle with powdered sugar.

POLISH DOUGHNUTS - PACZKI

Steps:

• Scald milk and allow to cool to lukewarm, add yeast and stir.
• Beat sugar and butter until fluffy, add eggs, salt, vanilla and mace.
• Add flour and yeast-milk gradually, beating well.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk.
• Punch down and let rise again.
• Roll out dough, on a floured surface, 3/4 inch thick.
• Cut out 1 1/2 inch circles.
• Top half of the circles with 1 tsp jam, cover with the remaining circles and seal edges.
• Heat oil mixed with 1 tbls water to 375°F.
• Fry, turning once, to a medium golden brown.
• Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with sugar.

POLISH DOUGHNUTS (PąCZKI)

Steps:

• To make the leaven, mix the yeast with the sugar and flour, and stir in the warm milk. Set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes.
• For the dough, put egg yolks into a heatproof bowl and add the sugar and vanilla sugar. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk until smooth and thick.
• Sift the flour into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the beaten yolks and the warm cream, mix thoroughly, then add a pinch of salt and the leaven. Bring together to make a dough and knead for 10 minutes (or 15-20 if doing this by hand).
• When the dough stops sticking to your hands, pour in the cooled melted butter and knead for a few more minutes. Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place to rise for at least 1 hr-1 hr 30 mins.
• Mix the jam with the ground almonds and spoon into a piping bag or jam syringe. Divide the dough into 16 pieces and shape them into doughnuts. Cover and leave to rise for 30 mins.
• Fill a deep pan or a deep fat fryer one third full of oil or melted lard and heat it until it is 180C - if you don't have a thermometer, drop in a small chunk of bread. The oil is ready when it browns in about 30 secs. Add the doughnuts and fry, turning them once for about 1-2 mins on each side (a thin lighter ring should form in the middle). After removing, drain the doughnuts of excess fat on some kitchen paper.
• Mix the icing sugar, lemon juice and almond essence, adding some water if you need to thin the icing. When the doughnuts have cooled a little, pipe in the jam mixture and glaze them in the icing and sprinkle with the chopped almonds.