Polish Doughnuts (Pączki) Recipe

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.

In a saucepan, heat the milk until warm (about 110°F/43°C).

Gradually add the warm milk to the dry ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon until a dough forms.

Add the egg yolks and melted butter to the dough, mixing until well combined.

Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic.

Place the dough back into the mixing bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Punch down the dough and roll it out to a thickness of about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm).

Use a round cookie cutter or a glass to cut out circles from the dough.

Place the dough circles on a floured surface, cover with a kitchen towel, and let them rise for an additional 30 minutes.

In a deep pot, heat vegetable oil to a temperature of 350°F (180°C).

Carefully drop a few dough circles into the hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain excess oil.

Repeat the frying process with the remaining dough circles.

Once the doughnuts have cooled slightly, fill a piping bag fitted with a long, thin nozzle with your chosen filling.

Insert the nozzle into the side of each doughnut and squeeze in the desired amount of filling.

Dust the filled doughnuts with powdered sugar and serve.