Calumet Region Paczki
Rich, deep-fried yeasted doughnuts filled with fruit preserves and dusted with sugar, traditionally made before Lent. A beloved treat in Northwest Indiana's Polish communities.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Calories
- 350 kcal
Equipment
- •Stand mixer
- •Deep fryer or heavy pot
- •Piping bag
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 350 kcal
- fat
- 18
- carbs
- 40
- protein
- 6
- calories
- 350
Instructions
- 1
Warm the milk. Stir in the yeast and a pinch of sugar, then let it sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
- 2
Put the flour, sugar, salt, egg yolks, and yeast mixture into a stand mixer. Mix them together.
- 3
Knead in the softened butter a little at a time. Mix until the dough is smooth and stretchy.
- 4
Cover the bowl. Let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until it doubles in size.
- 5
Roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut the dough into rounds.
- 6
Cover the rounds loosely. Let them rise again for 30 minutes.
- 7
Heat oil to 350°F. Fry the rounds in batches for 2 minutes per side until deep golden.
- 8
Transfer the fried pastries to a wire rack to drain.
- 9
Let them cool slightly. Pipe the plum preserves into the center of each paczki (rich filled doughnut).
- 10
Dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.
Chef's tips
Keep the oil steady at 350°F. Do not crowd the pot so the paczki puff evenly without soaking up oil.
Storage
Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.
Reheating
Best enjoyed fresh; not typically reheated.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Heating the oil too high, which browns the outside before the inside cooks through.
- •Not letting the dough rise long enough, which makes the doughnuts heavy and dense.
Serving suggestions
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