Paczki Poonch Key Food

PACZKI (POONCH-KEY)

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk for 5 minutes.
• Sift the flour into the scalded milk gradually. Add the yeast mixture, stirring until smooth. Let rise for 1/2 hour.
• Beat the salt into the egg yolks; add to flour mixture, mix well.
• Add the sugar and rum. Mix well. Knead until the dough no longer sticks to the sides. Gradually knead in the butter.
• Place in a greased bowl, turn to coat and let rise until doubled.
• Punch down and let rise again. Cut the dough in half, set one half aside and roll out the second half about 1/4 inch thick.
• Using a 2-inch biscuit cutter cut as many rounds as possible.
• Place a dab of jam or filling on one round, cover jam with another round and seal edges. Place the filled paczki on greased sheets, allowing room between each for rising. Repeat the process until all the dough is used.
• Let the paczki rise for about 1 hour or until doubled.
• Pour the oil into deep fryer or deep pan (about 5 inches). Heat the oil until it is about 360 to 370 degrees.
• Deep fry the paczki in oil for about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown on both sides.
• Dust with powdered sugar.
• The yield might be a little off.

AUTHENTIC POLISH PACZKI

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, heat milk until steaming with small bubbles forming around the edges (about 180F). Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm (about 105F).
• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve yeast in the lukewarm milk and let stand for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of the flour. Mix together and let stand for 20-30 minutes, until really bubbly.
• In the meantime, beat the yolks in a small bowl until they are light and fluffy.
• To the proofed yeast mixture, add the melted butter and sugar and mix. Add salt and vanilla. Add beaten egg yolks. Slowly add more of the flour to bowl in small increments, adding just until you have a soft dough that is moist ,but not sticky. Remove dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead 1 minute (adding a bit more flour if it is sticking to your hands or the work surface). Form dough into a ball.
• Grease a clean bowl and add dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled. (This dough is a bit of a slow riser, so expect this rise to be up to 90 minutes).
• Deflate dough and pat out onto floured cutting board. With a rolling pin, gently roll into a 1/2-inch thick circle. Gently cut out circles with 3-inch biscuit cutter. Place onto a parchment lined baking sheet, cover with a clean tea towel and let rise until doubled (about 30 minutes). *You can re-roll the scraps and cut more pieces, though they are never quite as neat as the first cuts. I like to use the ugliest of these ones as "test" ones, to test the temperature of the oil. I fry one, let cool, then cut it open to make sure it is cooking all the way through. I can then adjust time/temperature, as needed from there.
• Meanwhile, heat oil to 360°F. Fry paczki until golden on one side, flip and fry the other side. Don't try to cook too many at a time so you don't reduce the temperature of the oil by adding too many at once. Don't rush the frying, to be sure they are cooked through well. Fry until they are a deep golden colour. Remove paczki to a cooling rack for about 30 seconds, then immediately roll in granulated sugar. Let stand until completely cooled.
• Once cooled, using a sharp knife, poke a hole on the side. Use a pastry bag with a large plain tip to pipe the jam or custard filling inside.
• These are best when freshly made, but you can freeze any extras.

POLISH PACZKI JELLY DONUTS

Steps:

• Heat the milk to 90 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk and yeast. Stir lightly, and let rest until the mixture begins to foam, about 5 minutes.
• Fit the mixer with the dough hook and beat the eggs, butter, sugar, and salt into the yeast mixture. Add half of the flour, and mix until combined, then mix in the rest of the flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough seems wet at this point and isn't completely releasing from the sides of the bowl, add a little more flour, 2 tablespoons at a time. The dough will kneed for about 5 minutes before it lets go of the bowl. Remove dough and lightly spray the mixer bowl with the pan spray. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise at room temperature until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and roll it to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut the doughnuts out with a 3-inch biscuit cutter. Knead any scraps together, only once, let rest for a few minutes, repeat the process.
• Put the doughnuts onto floured baking sheets with plenty of room between each one. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until they are slightly puffed up and delicate, about 30 minutes. You can also proof in the oven. Heat to 200 at the beginning of this step, turn off the heat, put the baking sheets in the oven and leave the door ajar. We don't want to heat the dough, just create a warm environment for the yeast to work.
• About 15 minutes before the doughnuts are done rising, heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat, and heat it to 375 using a candy thermometer. Meanwhile, line a cooling rack, baking sheets or plates with paper towels.
• Carefully add the doughnuts to the oil, a few at a time. If they're too delicate to pick up with your fingers (they may be this way if you rose them in the oven), use a metal spatula to pick them up and slide them into the oil. It's okay if they deflate a bit; they'll puff back up as they fry. When the bottoms are deep golden, after 45 seconds to a minute, use your spider strainer to flip; cook until they're deep golden all over. Transfer the doughnuts to the prepared plates or racks, and repeat with the rest of the dough, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the oil at 375.
• When the doughnuts are totally cool fill with your favorite jelly, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!