Baked Paczki (Polish Doughnuts)
Baked Polish doughnuts, traditionally enjoyed on Fat Tuesday and Fat Thursday, offer a lower-fat alternative to their fried counterparts.
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Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375 F.
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Dissolve yeast in warm milk and set aside.
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Cream sugar and butter until fluffy.
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Beat in egg, egg yolks, brandy or rum, and salt.
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Gradually add 4 1/2 cups flour and the yeast-milk mixture, beating for 5+ minutes until smooth. Add up to 1/2 cup more flour if dough is too soft.
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Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled (1-2.5 hours).
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Punch down dough and allow it to rise a second time.
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Roll dough to 1/2 to 3/4-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut 3-inch rounds, re-rolling scraps as needed.
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Arrange rounds on parchment-lined baking sheets, cover, and let rise until doubled (30+ minutes).
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Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
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For granulated sugar coating, brush hot baked doughnuts with melted butter and roll in sugar. For confectioners' sugar, cool completely before coating.
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Once cooled, slit each doughnut, fill with a teaspoon of fruit paste or jam, then dust with confectioners' sugar or roll in granulated sugar.