PĄCZKI – TRADITIONAL POLISH RECIPE – One of the icons of Polish cuisine, commonly associated with the Fat Thursday holiday.

PĄCZKI – TRADITIONAL POLISH RECIPE

Ingredients:

Yeast:

• 50 g fresh yeast
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp flour
• 175 ml warm milk

Dough:

• 6 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 500 g white flour, plus extra for dusting
• 125 ml milk
• 125 ml cream
• 2 tbsp rectified spirit
• 50 g melted butter
• salt

Method:

1. Crumble the yeast and mix it with sugar until you get a uniformed liquid. Add flour and milk, mix again and put in a warm place for 20 minutes
2. Using the mixer, stir together yolks with sugar. Pour them into a big bowl then add flour with a pinch of salt, yeast solution, milk, cream and spirit (can also use vodka or vinegar)
3. Knead the dough for few minutes, add melted butter and knead until the dough becomes elastic. Place the dough in a bowl coated with oil, cover with a clean cloth and put away in a warm place for an hour for it to rise
4. After the dough has grown, roll to around 1,5 cm thickness then cut it into 6 cm circles. Place the cut-outs on a board covered with lightly oiled food wrap then put in a warm place for another 35 minutes
5. Pączki are deep-fried under the lid. Since they’re floating, they have to be flipped once they get brown on the bottom. After flipping, keep frying without the lid on. Once they are ready take them out on a plate covered with a paper towel to drain away the excess oil
6. Before they are ready to be served, pączki should cool down and be filled with confiture or sweet filling and covered with icing