Pampushke (Ukrainian) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1 1/2 cups scalded milk (heated til almost boiling)
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 - 5 1/2 cups flour (white or unbleached)
Filling
2 cups poppy seeds
2 cups cereal cream (or less)
1 1/2 cups white sugar (or to taste)
2 eggs
oil or lard (for deep frying)

Preparation

Soak poppy seeds overnight in water. Drain well. Grind poppy seeds (I use a meat grinder but a coffee or spice grinder I hear works well. You know the poppy seeds are ground when they become a bit sticky and slightly milky in color. To get this started in a meat grinder add 1 or 2 soda crackers when you start and it helps to start the process, otherwise, you have to run it thru around 4 times). Then, add the other ingredients and cook on a double boiler for 15 mins or until thickens, stirring constantly. Can be done the night before and refridgerated.
Combine yeast, sugar, and warm water and let stand 10 mins to 'proof' (which is to show the yeast is active). Scald milk then add butter and let melt. Add milk mix to yeast mix. Beat together eggs, vanilla, and salt. Add to milk and yeast mix. Add flour and knead until smooth. Let rise, knead, let rise again until double in bulk. Roll out dough approx 1/4 inch thick and cut into circles approx 3 inches in diameter. Spoon small amount of filling into circle of dough and pinch edges together well. (if it's not sealed well it will break open in the oil). Let rise 10 mins more, then deep fry in oil or lard until golden brown. Can be eaten plain, after dusted with powdered sugar, or dipped in white sugar or doughnut glaze. Tip: to keep doughnuts from flipping over when cooking the second side because of a big air bubble formed from rising yeast, cook the first side lightly first, then the second till done, and then finish the first side before taking out of oil.