Paczki: Polish Style Donuts

Name: Paczki: Polish Style Donuts
Prep time: 35 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 2/3 cup (150 mL) milk, room temperature; 2 eggs; 1/3 cup (75 mL) butter, melted; 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla; 1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar; 3/4 tsp (3 mL) salt; 1/4 tsp (1 mL) nutmeg, optional; 4 cups (1000 mL) Robin Hood® All Purpose Flour, beaten Robin Hood® Original All Purpose Flour; 2 1/4 tsp (12 mL) instant or bread machine yeast; 7 1/2 cups (1.89 L) Canola Oil, for frying; 1 cup (250 mL) Smucker’s® Pure Jam (of your choice); icing sugar, for dusting

Prep Time 35 mins

Cook Time N/A

Serves 12

Difficulty N/A

Ingredients

2/3 cup (150 mL) milk, room temperature
2 eggs
1/3 cup (75 mL) butter, melted
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar
3/4 tsp (3 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) nutmeg, optional
4 cups (1000 mL) Robin Hood^® All Purpose Flour, beaten
2 1/4 tsp (12 mL) instant or bread machine yeast
7 1/2 cups (1.89 L) Canola Oil, for frying
1 cup (250 mL) Smucker’s® Pure Jam (of your choice)
icing sugar, for dusting

Robin Hood^® Original All Purpose Flour

Directions

Step 1:

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine milk, eggs, butter, vanilla, sugar, salt and nutmeg. Add 3 cups (750 mL) of Robin Hood All Purpose Flour and yeast and mix until a soft dough forms, 4 – 5 minutes. Add enough flour so that the dough forms a ball that is smooth and elastic, yet slightly sticky.

Step 2:

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place (75°- 85°F/24°-29°C) until risen and puffy, 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Remove dough to a floured surface and gently press down. Using a rolling pin, roll dough to 1/2” thick (1 cm). Cut the dough using a floured 3” (7cm) round cookie cutter. Place the donuts on a floured baking sheet, cover with a tea towel and let rise until puffy, 30 minutes.

Step 3:

Heat oil in a large (6qt/6L) saucepan over medium heat to 375°F (190°C). Carefully slide 3 donuts into the hot oil. Cook until golden brown and puffed, about 1 minute, per side. Remove with a slotted spoon to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Continue with remaining donuts. Allow to cool.

Step 4:

Place jam in pastry bag fitted with star tip or, large, heavy duty freezer bag. Insert the tip of the pastry bag into the side of the donut and pipe in approximately 2 tsp (10 mL) of jam. If using a freezer bag, fill with jam and cut 1/2” (1 cm) off one bottom corner. Using the tip of a knife, make a hole in the side of the donut, and pipe in jam as per above.

Step 5:

Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.

Tips

Use a candy thermometer to verify and maintain the temperature of the oil. The donuts will absorb oil if the oil is too cold and burn quickly if the oil is too hot.

Don’t have a candy thermometer? To test that the oil is at the right frying temperature, drop in a “scrap” piece of dough. It should bubble and start cooking immediately.

Be careful when deep frying: To prevent oil from overflowing, never fill the pot more than half full.