• 4-1/2 tsp. instant yeast
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp. non-fat dry milk
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tbsp. shortening
• 3/4 cup unbleached pastry flour
• 1-1/2 cups bread flour
• jam or jelly of your choice for stuffing (or you could make a pastry cream)
• sugar for dusting or make a yummy chocolate frosting

Combine the yeast, sugar, milk, salt, baking powder, egg, water, shortening and pastry flour.  Add enough of the bread flour to form a cohesive dough, and knead the dough until it is smooth and supple, adding additional flour as needed.  Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 1 hour, punch the dough down (the fun part).  Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface.

Divide the dough into 8 pieces; round each piece into a ball, then flatten each ball slightly.  Place the balls on a lightly greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet; cover and allow then to rest for 2 to 2-1/2 hours.  They will not rise a lot.

Heat the oil in a large frying skillet to 365 degrees.  Fry the paczki, 2 to 4 at a time for 3 minutes on each side, or until they are a very deep brown.  Transfer them to paper towels and drain.

When the paczki are cool enough to handle, fill them with about 2 tbsp. of jam, if desired.  Use your cookie press equipped with a filling tube to make a small hole in the doughnut and spoon the jelly into the middle.  Roll in sugar or make a chocolate sauce for the top.

These were a definite hit!

Makes 8 doughnuts