Polish Doughnuts (Pączki)

Name: Polish Doughnuts (Pączki)
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 10 g Fresh yeast; 1 tsp White sugar; 1 tbsp Wheat flour; 125 ml Milk; 7 pcs Egg yolks; 15 g White sugar; 10 g Vanilla sugar; 1 tsp Vanilla extract; 500 g Wheat flour; 200 ml Heavy cream; 15 g Butter; 125 ml Jam; 10 g Ground almonds; 1000 ml Vegetable oil; 75 g Powdered sugar; 1 pcs Lemon; 1 to taste Almond essence; 50 g Almonds

Airy Polish doughnuts with a delicate filling of jam and almonds. A traditional treat that melts in your mouth and brings pure delight.

Ingredients

10 g Fresh yeast
1 tsp White sugar
1 tbsp Wheat flour
125 ml Milk
7 pcs Egg yolks
15 g White sugar
10 g Vanilla sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
500 g Wheat flour
200 ml Heavy cream
15 g Butter
125 ml Jam
10 g Ground almonds
1000 ml Vegetable oil
75 g Powdered sugar
1 pcs Lemon
1 to taste Almond essence
50 g Almonds

Instructions

Prepare the sponge: mix fresh yeast with sugar and one tablespoon of flour, add warm milk and stir well. Cover and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes until foamy.
Prepare the cream for the dough: place egg yolks in a heatproof bowl and add white sugar and vanilla sugar. Set the bowl over a pot of boiling water and whisk until smooth and thickened.
Sift flour into a mixer bowl, add the whisked egg yolks and warm cream, mix thoroughly. Add a pinch of salt and the prepared sponge, knead the dough for 10 minutes (by hand—15–20 minutes) until uniform.
When the dough stops sticking to your hands, pour in the cooled melted butter in a thin stream and continue kneading for a few more minutes. Cover the dough with a towel and leave in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours until doubled in volume.
Prepare the filling: mix jam with ground almonds (and almond essence, if using). Transfer to a pastry bag or jam syringe.
Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces and shape into doughnuts. Cover and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
Fill a deep saucepan or deep fryer one-third full with oil and heat to 180 °C. If you don't have a thermometer, test the temperature by dropping a piece of bread into the oil—it should brown in 30 seconds. Carefully lower the doughnuts into the oil and fry, turning once, for 1–2 minutes on each side, until a light golden ring forms in the center. Place the cooked doughnuts on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Once cooled, fill the doughnuts with the jam and almond mixture through a side slit or from the top. Dust with powdered sugar, decorate with sliced almonds and lemon zest.