Description
Heavenly Polish Paczki donuts deliver a sweet carnival celebration of rich, pillowy dough filled with luscious jam and dusted with powdered sugar. Rich cultural traditions shine through each delectable bite, inviting you to savor Poland’s beloved pastry treasure.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1½ cups (360 milliliters) flour
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) milk
- ¾ cup (180 milliliters) warm milk
Leavening and Flavoring:
- 2 teaspoons yeast
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons oil
Sweeteners and Coating:
- ½ cup (100 grams) sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams) sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
Extras:
- Extra flour for kneading
Instructions
- Activate yeast by mixing warm milk, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Wait 5 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy and bubbly, which signals the yeast is ready.
- Create dough by incorporating oil, egg yolks, vanilla extract, flour, and salt. Mix thoroughly until a cohesive mixture forms.
- Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, adding extra flour if needed to prevent sticking. The dough should become smooth and elastic.
- Allow dough to rest, covered with a kitchen towel, for 10-15 minutes to relax the gluten.
- Prepare custard by whisking sugar, cornstarch, milk, and egg yolk in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture boils and thickens.
- Remove custard from heat and refrigerate completely while preparing other components.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or light grease.
- Roll dough to half-inch thickness and cut into 2-3 inch circles using a round cutter.
- Arrange dough circles on the baking sheet with spacing between them. Cover and let rise for 1 hour until nearly doubled in size.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until tops turn golden. Cool slightly on a wire rack.
- While warm, brush paczki with melted butter and coat with sugar.
- Once cooled, fill donuts with custard or fruit jam using a pastry bag or spoon.
- Serve immediately with coffee or tea, perfect for breakfast or dessert.
Notes
- Ensure milk is lukewarm to activate yeast properly without killing it, which prevents dough from rising correctly.
- Use room temperature eggs for smoother mixing and better dough consistency when preparing the paczki.
- Replace wheat flour with gluten-free blend for celiac-friendly version, maintaining similar texture and taste.
- Add a pinch of cardamom or orange zest to custard filling for an extra layer of traditional Polish flavor complexity.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Polish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg