Pączki Day!!!

Fat Rich really misses Paczki Day, prounounced "poonchkey" (roughly), is celebrated in Poland on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday, and in Polish American communities it is celebrated on "Fat Tuesday" the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Polish paczki (filled doughnuts or Bismarks) were traditionally eaten on this day in Poland, as well as chrustiki or faworki (angel wings or bowties).

When Poles immigrated to America, the custom continued, but there were so many other European ethnic groups who celebrate "Doughnut Day" on Tuesday, instead of Thursday, that the day changed over time. This is Big in Detroit!!!

Paczki (Polish Doughnuts):

1 cup sweet cream

2 x yeast cakes

10 x egg yolks

1 teaspoon salt

5 Tablespoons butter

4 cups flour

2 oz Rum

6 Tablespoons sugar

Method: Egg yolks, beat 'til thick. Cream butter and sugar. Put these into largebowl, add yeast dissolved with 1 Tablespoon sugar and mix thoroughly. Addrum then flour and cream alternately and, beat hard 'til dough blisters.Setin warm place to rise. Punch down and let rise again. Place dough onflouredsurface and stretch and fill with pitted prunes. Fold over and cut intodesired size balls. Place on floured surface and let rise. Fry in deep hotoil turning once.Paczki should be very dark colour before turning to ensure that they arethoroughly cooked. Drain on soft absorbent paper. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Enjoy your Paczki!!!!