My First Paczki
I didn’t grow up eating paczki on Fat Tuesday. Don’t get me wrong, we ate plenty of donuts (Sunday after church often meant Krispy Kreme or the iconic and sorely missed Crest Bakery). But it wasn’t until I interned in Chicago during my undergrad that I tried my first one. It was only then that I also learned what a big deal these donuts are.
In many cities around the ‘Pierogi Pocket’ in the U.S., Fat Tuesday is also referred to as Paczki Day. People will wait in lines that stretch around blocks to get these decadent Polish donuts.
Since I am relatively new to the Paczki, I decided to do some research. I found paczki guides for Chicago, Cleveland, Akron, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, New York City, and Baltimore. Surprisingly, even Phoenix, Arizona is getting on the Paczki train. Other interesting fun facts:
Paczki are pronounced: POONCH-key
In Poland, paczki are eaten on Fat Thursday, the last Thursday prior to lent. In the U.S., they are eaten on Fat Tuesday, which is often also referred to as Paczki Day in cities with a history of big Polish immigration.
Like many things in Poland, paczki have roots in Catholicism. The traditional reason for making paczki was to use up all the lard, sugar, eggs and fruit in the house, in preparation for fasting during Lent.
Some recipes include a shot of Polish vodka (or grain alcohol). This supposedly keeps the donut from absorbing too much oil while fying (is that true, who knows).
They were originally savory: paczki date back to the Middle Ages, when they were filled with pork fat and fried in lard. The French are credited with making them sweet.
Traditional fillings include plum or rose hip jam or sweet cream. Today you can find them filled with nearly any type of jam or custard.
Below is the recipe I used. It’s a modified version from the Seasons and Suppers blog. And since this was my first time making paczki and I felt a bit intimidated, I decided to make mini versions, figuring I’d have a better chance of success. Overall, they weren’t as hard as I had imagined and they turned out fantastic. For me, the hardest part was figuring out the right frying temperature and time and keeping the oil temperature consistent. I also made two fillings because I couldn’t make up my mind: raspberry jam and lemon curd.
Mini Paczki Donuts
Ingredients:
For the dough:
2 1/4 teaspoon dry active or instant yeast (not rapid or quick-rise yeast)
1 cup whole milk (warmed, instructions below)
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 Tbsp melted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon vodka
1/2 teaspoon salt
~3 cups all-purpose flour
Jam, custard or curd (homemade or store bought)
For the glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2.5 tablespoons whole milk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
To Do:
In a small saucepan, heat the whole milk until it reached 180F, when it will start to become steaming with small bubbles forming around the edges. Remove from heat and let cool until its lukewarm, or about 105F.
Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk in a large bowl or the bowl of stand mixer and let stand for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of the flour. Mix together good and let stand for 20-30 minutes, until really bubbly (see third picture above).
While you are waiting, beat the egg yolks in a small bowl until they are light and fluffy.
To the proofed yeast mixture, add the melted butter and sugar and begin mixing. Add salt, vanilla, vodka and beaten egg yolks. Once those are thoroughly mixed, begin slowly adding in the rest of the flour (~2 cups) to bowl in small increments. Stop when you have a soft dough that is moist ,but no longer sticky. Form dough into a ball.
Grease a clean bowl, add the dough and cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until it’s doubled in size. This will take about 90 minutes.
While you are waiting you can prepare the icing, and filling (if you are using homemade).
Once the dough has double in size, deflate it (punch it) and pat it out on a floured cutting board. Using a rolling pin, gently roll the dough into a 1/2-inch thick circle.
Gently cut out circles with 1-inch circle cutter. Re-roll the scraps and cut more pieces, though they will not be as neat as the first cuts. Use these ones as "testers" to test the temperature of the oil.
Place cut circles on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with a clean tea towel and let rise until doubled (about 30 minutes).
Meanwhile, heat oil to about 360°F - 375°F. Fry a “test” paczki for about 45 seconds, flip it, and fry the other side for an additional 45 seconds. Don't try to cook too many at a time as it might cause the temperature of the oil to drop. I fry 2-3 at a time. The outsides should be a golden color. Break your first couple open to make sure they are cooked and not doughy inside. Adjust the time and temperature if needed
Let paczki cool slightly, then dip in icing. If you prefer, you can roll in granulated sugar or top with powdered sugar. Let stand until completely cooled.
Once cooled, using a sharp knife or chop stick and poke a hole on the side. Use a pastry bag with a large plain tip to pipe the jam or custard filling inside.
Paczki are best when eaten right away (I’ve heard you can freeze them, but I have not personally tried). Now its time to enjoy and indulge!
