A recipe originally from The Chicago Tribune, though the filling comes from “Baking with Julia.” If you don’t want to make your own paczkis, Woodlea Bakery in Gardenville (4905 Belair Road, 410-488-7718) sells them from Shrove Tuesday through the end of Lent.
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 ounces fresh yeast
1 cup whole milk, heated to 105 degrees
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup rum
3 1/2 cups flour
Prune filling (recipe follows) or 3/4 cup fruit preserves such as raspberry or blueberry
Pinch salt
Cooking oil
Stir sugar and yeast into warm milk; set aside until mixture bubbles, about 15 minutes. Melt butter; set aside to cool to room temperature. Beat together confectioners’ sugar, whole eggs and yolks in small bowl to combine. Beat in rum. Set aside.
Place flour, salt, yeast mixture and egg mixture in bowl of electric mixture with paddle attachment. Beat until flour is combined and dough is stretchy, about 3 minutes. Add butter; mix until well-combined, about 1 minute. Cover bowl with a towel; let stand in warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
Place dough on lightly floured surface. Flour your hands, and stretch and pat dough until 1/4-inch thick. Dough will be very sticky. Cut dough into 3-inch circles using a glass or a biscuit cutter. Place 1/2 teaspoon of filling or preserves in center of each circle. Fold dough over filling; pinch edges together making a ball. Place on floured parchment or wax paper. Cover with towel. Let stand in warm place 45 minutes.
Heat oil in deep-fat fryer, deep skillet, or wok until deep frying thermometer reaches 360-370 degrees. Fry paczkis, a few at a time, until brown on all sides, about 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar while still warm. Makes 28 paczkis.
Prune Filling
1 cup (packed) pitted prunes
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Stir the prunes, water and sugar together in a large microwave-safe bowl. Put the bowl in a microwave oven set to full power and cook, stirring a few times, for 10 minutes, or until the prunes are soft and puffed and have absorbed almost all of the liquid. Turn the mixture into the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until smooth, scraping the bowl as needed. Transfer to a bowl and add the lemon juice, vanilla extract and the cinnamon, if you’re using it, and stir to mix. Scrape the filling into a small container and cool to room temperature. (The filling can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, if needed.) Makes about 1 1/3 cups.
