Go Back Email Link
Glazed Paczki

Pączki (pronounced 'pawnch-key') - Fruit Filled Donuts from Poland

Christina
These fruit filled donuts, known as Pączki in Poland are traditionally made for Fat Thursday, the Thursday before lent starts, when Polish people fill themselves with these delicious homemade treats.
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Resting Time 2 hours
Course afternoon tea, bread, Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine Polish
Servings 12 donuts

Equipment

  • Digital Scale for metric measurement
  • Electric Mixer with Dough Hook and Whisk
  • 4 L food container with lid or bowl with plastic wrap
  • Bench Scraper (or knife)
  • Large Sturdy Pot
  • Slotted Spoon

Ingredients
  

Pączki Dough

  • 2 tsp Instant Yeast
  • 2 T Sugar
  • 400 grams All Purpose White Flour 2½ cups
  • 170 grams Warm Buttermilk (about 105°F / 40°C) ¾ cup (can add vinegar to regular milk to achieve buttermilk)
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • 2 ea Eggs, room temperature
  • 60 grams Butter cut into 4 pieces, room temperature 4 ½T

Filling

  • 1 ea Small jar of thick jam (like strawberry, apricot, cherry, etc.) preferably organic for best flavor

Topping

  • 250 grams Powdered Sugar
  • 2 T Orange Juice squeezed from ½ an orange can substitute water or other juice
  • 2 T Strips of Outer Skin of the Orange optional
  • 4 T Sugar (divided in half) optional
  • 2 T Water optional

To Cook

  • 500 g Neutral flavored, high-heat Vegetable Oil (like Canola) 4-6 cups (fill pan about 3")

Instructions
 

Pączki Dough

  • In bowl of an electric mixer using whisk attachment on low, combine: yeast, sugar, 1 cup of flour.
    Flour, Sugar, and Yeast in the bowl of mixer
  • Add warm buttermilk to the dry mix and whisk on medium low until combined.
    Buttermilk added to the dry mix
  • Add two room temperature eggs and whisk on medium low until combined.
    Eggs added to the mix
  • Add ¾ cup of flour and salt, whisk on low until combined.
  • Switch to the dough hook.
  • Add rest of the flour and knead on low (speed 1) for 2-3 minutes, adding one piece of butter at a time until mixed in.
  • Switch to medium low (speed 2), knead for 5-6 minutes until a smooth dough is formed that pulls from the side and sticks to the bottom.
    Finished Dough in the Mixer Bowl
  • Remove from mixer bowl and knead gently on the counter until a smooth ball is formed.
  • Place into a container sprayed with spray oil to prevent sticking. Cover.
    Dough in a sprayed container and covered with plastic wrap
  • Set dough aside until doubled in size, about 1½ hours.
    Dough is Doubled and Ready to Move to Next Step

Pączki Dough (continued)

  • Once doubled, dump dough onto a work surface.
  • Using fingers, press the dough into a 12" x 9" (30 cm x 22 cm) rectangle.
    Dough pressed out into a rectangle
  • Loosely roll dough away from you so you have a 12" (30 cm) log.
    Dough rolled into a 12 inch log
  • Cut the log into 12 pieces.
  • Form each piece into a small loose dough ball. Cover them with a piece of plastic wrap or cotton kitchen towel.
    12 loosely formed dough balls
  • Allow balls to relax on counter for 10-15 minutes.
  • Flatten each ball into a 5" / 12 cm circle.
    Flattened Dough Ball
  • Place one tablespoon of jam filling in the center of the circle.
  • Pull the sides of the circle to the center, pinch very well together so filling does not come out, flip over, and tighten the dough into a round shape.
    Pinching the Seams Together
  • Place the twelve filled rounds on a well floured sheet pan.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size, about 30-40 minutes.

Topping

  • Meanwhile, prepare the toppings.
  • Mix the water, 2 T sugar and strips of orange skin.
  • Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Strain the skins and toss in the remaining 2 T of sugar. Break apart and set aside on a plate to cool completely.

Pączki (continued)

  • Meanwhile, pour the oil into a large stock pot. Ensure oil is well below the edge of the pan to prevent splash over while frying but deep enough (about 2-3 inches) to allow the donuts to fry without touching the bottom. Heat the oil slowly over medium heat until it reaches 355°F / 180°C, use a candy thermometer to test the temperature.
    Hint: Oil that is too cool will cause the Pączki to absorb the oil leaving them dense and greasy. Oil that is too hot will cause the Pączki to burn. If you do not have a candy thermometer, drop a small amount of dough into the oil to test readiness, it should produce medium bubbles around the dough and fry the dough to a golden brown.
    Oil in Heavy Pan
  • When Pączki have nearly doubled in size, begin frying 1-2 at a time. Fry each side for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, flip them and fry the second side another 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
    Hint: Frying the donuts too short a time will leave you with a gummy and underdone interior.
  • Remove Pączki with a slotted metal spoon. Place on a sheet pan lined with a cooling rack and covered in clean paper towels. Repeat until all Pączki are cooked.
  • When Pączki are cooled enough to touch, remove them from the paper towels, place them on the cooling rack over the sheet pan. Throw the grease-soaked paper towels away.

Glazing the Fried Pączki

  • Mix 150 g powdered sugar and 2 T Orange Juice (or other juice/water) until you have a pourable consistency.
    Hint: If you do not want to use glaze just sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar to serve.
    Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
  • Pour glaze over the cooled Pączki until coated or dip the tops of the Pączki in the glaze. Place candied fruit peel on top (optional).
    Mixing Powdered Sugar with Orange Juice
  • Serve.
    Paczki & Orange
Keyword Donuts, Pączki