Recipe

Fluffy Custard Donuts (Paczki)

Servings: 12-15
Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes (including rising time)
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

For the dough:
● 1 cup whole milk, warmed
● 1/4 cup granulated sugar
● 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
● 4 cups all-purpose flour
● 1/2 teaspoon salt
● 4 large egg yolks
● 1 large egg
● 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
● 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
● Vegetable oil, for frying

For the custard filling:
● 2 cups whole milk
● 1/2 cup granulated sugar
● 1/4 cup cornstarch
● 4 large egg yolks
● 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
● 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the Sugars:

● Strawberry Sugar:
○ 1/2 cup granulated sugar
○ 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries, blitzed into a powder
● Cinnamon Sugar:
○ 1/2 cup granulated sugar
○ 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
● Orange Sugar:
○ 1/2 cup granulated sugar
○ Zest of 1 large orange

Instructions:

1. Activate the Yeast:
In a small bowl, combine the warm milk and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.
Sprinkle the yeast over the top and let it sit until foamy, about 5-10 minutes.

2. Prepare the Dough:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook attachment, combine the
flour, remaining granulated sugar, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, egg, melted butter, and
vanilla extract.
Add the yeast mixture and the egg mixture to the flour mixture in the stand
mixer bowl.

3. Knead the Dough:
Mix on low speed until the ingredients are combined, then increase to medium
speed and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a damp cloth or loosely with
plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1-2
hours.

4. Make the Custard Filling:
In a medium saucepan, heat the milk until it’s hot but not boiling.
In a bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks until smooth
and pale.
Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to
prevent curdling.
Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring
constantly, until the custard thickens and begins to bubble.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and butter until smooth.

Transfer the custard to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap (pressing the wrap
directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming), and let it cool
completely in the refrigerator.

5. Shape the Paczki:
Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the
dough out to about 1/2-inch thickness.
Use a round cutter to cut out circles of dough. Place the circles on a baking
sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and let them rise for another 30
minutes.

6. Fry the Paczki:
Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 350°F (175°C).
Fry the paczki in batches until golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes
per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

7. Prepare the Sugars:
For the strawberry sugar, blitz freeze-dried strawberries into a powder using a
spice grinder and mix with granulated sugar in a shallow bowl.
For the cinnamon sugar: Mix granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a
shallow bowl.
For the lemon sugar, mix granulated sugar and lemon zest in a shallow bowl,
rubbing the zest and sugar between your fingers to express the oils from the
zest (this should smell like heaven).

8. Fill and Roll:
Once the paczki have cooled slightly, use a piping bag fitted with a small tip to
fill each one with the chilled custard.
Roll the filled paczki in your choice of strawberry sugar, cinnamon sugar, or
orange sugar until well coated.