Polish doughnuts (Pączki)

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil
• Plain flour 500 g
• Sugar 10 g
• Lemon
• Butter 15 g
• Cream 200 ml
• Eggs 7
• Milk 125 ml
• Almonds 50 g
• Dried yeast 10 g
• Ground almonds 10 g
• Icing sugar 75 g
• Jam 125 ml
• Vanilla extract 1 tsp
• Almond essence

Method

1. To make the leaven, mix the yeast with the sugar and flour, and stir in the warm milk. Set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes.
2. For the dough, put egg yolks into a heatproof bowl and add the sugar and vanilla sugar. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk until smooth and thick.
3. Sift the flour into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the beaten yolks and the warm cream, mix thoroughly, then add a pinch of salt and the leaven. Bring together to make a dough and knead for 10 minutes (or 15-20 if doing this by hand).
4. When the dough stops sticking to your hands, pour in the cooled melted butter and knead for a few more minutes. Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place to rise for at least 1 hr-1 hr 30 mins.
5. Mix the jam with the ground almonds and spoon into a piping bag or jam syringe.
6. Divide the dough into 16 pieces and shape them into doughnuts.
7. Cover and leave to rise for 30 mins.
8. Fill a deep pan or a deep fat fryer one third full of oil or melted lard and heat it until it is 180C – if you don’t have a thermometer, drop in a small chunk of bread.
9. The oil is ready when it browns in about 30 secs.
10. Add the doughnuts and fry, turning them once for about 1-2 mins on each side (a thin lighter ring should form in the middle).
11. After removing, drain the doughnuts of excess fat on some kitchen paper.