Polish doughnuts (Pączki) Recipe

Sift the 500g flour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the whisked egg yolks, the warm 200ml double cream, and mix thoroughly. Stir in a pinch of salt and the active leaven.

Bring the ingredients together to form a soft dough. Knead this in the stand mixer for about 10 minutes, or if you're kneading by hand, expect to work it for 15-20 minutes until it's smooth and elastic.

Once the dough is less sticky and easier to handle, pour in the cooled, melted 15g butter. Knead for a few more minutes until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is supple.

Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and let it rise in a warm place for at least 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until it has roughly doubled in size.

While the dough rises, prepare your filling: mix the 125ml jam with the 10g ground almonds. Spoon this mixture into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip, or into a jam syringe.

Once the dough has risen, punch it down gently and divide it into 16 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a round doughnut. Arrange them on a baking sheet, cover lightly, and let them rise again for another 30 minutes until visibly puffed.

Fill a deep pan or a deep fat fryer about one third full with oil or melted lard. Heat the oil to 180°C. If you don't have a thermometer, you can test it by dropping in a small chunk of bread; it should turn golden brown in about 30 seconds.

Carefully add the doughnuts to the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry them for about 1-2 minutes on each side, turning them once, until they're golden brown and a characteristic lighter ring forms around the middle. As you remove them from the oil, transfer them to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain any excess fat.