Polish doughnuts (Pączki)

Ingredients

• 10g Yeast
• 1 tsp Caster Sugar
• 1 cup Flour
• 125ml Milk
• 5 Egg Yolks
• 15g Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 200ml Double Cream
• 15g Butter
• 125ml Jam
• 10g Ground Almonds
• For frying Oil
• 75g Icing Sugar
• Juice of 1/2 Lemon
• Dash Almond Essence
• 50g Almonds

Instructions

1. To make the leaven, mix the yeast with the caster sugar and flour, then stir in the warm milk. Cover and leave in a warm place for about 30 minutes until bubbly.
2. For the dough, place the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl with the sugar and vanilla extract. Set over a pan of gently simmering water and whisk constantly until thick and smooth, then remove from the heat.
3. Sift the flour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the warm yolk mixture and warm cream and mix well. Add a pinch of salt and the leaven, then knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes in a mixer or 15–20 minutes by hand.
4. Once the dough no longer sticks to your hands, pour in the cooled melted butter and knead for a few more minutes until fully incorporated. Cover and leave in a warm place to rise for 1–1½ hours.
5. Mix the jam with the ground almonds and transfer to a piping bag or jam syringe. Divide the dough into 16 pieces, shape into doughnuts, cover and leave to rise for about 30 minutes.
6. Heat the oil (or melted fat) in a deep pan or fryer to 180°C, filling the pan no more than one third full. If you do not have a thermometer, a small piece of bread should brown in about 30 seconds. Fry the doughnuts in batches, turning once, for 1–2 minutes per side, until golden with a pale ring around the middle. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
7. Once cooled, fill the doughnuts with the jam mixture. Mix the icing sugar with the lemon juice and a dash of almond essence to make a smooth glaze. Spoon over the doughnuts and decorate with chopped almonds, if desired.

instructions_source: editorial-classic