Paczki (Polish "Jelly" Doughnuts) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

SPONGE
2 dry compressed yeast cakes, crushed
1 cup lukewarm milk
1 cup flour, sifted
1 tablespoon sugar
DOUGH
8 egg yolks
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
2 1/2 cups flour, sifted
2 tablespoons grain alcohol or 2 tablespoons rum
1/2 cup butter, melted
FILLING
fruit filling (such as preserves or thick jam)

Preparation

SPONGE:
Dissolve crushed yeast in lukewarm milk, sift in flour, add sugar.
Mix, cover, and let stand in warm place to rise.
Beat egg yolks with powdered sugar and vanilla sugar until fluffy.
Sift flour into bowl, add sponge (yeast mixture), egg mixture, and grain alcohol or rum.
Knead well until dough is smooth and glossy.
Gradually add melted lukewarm butter and continue kneading dough until it no longer clings to hands and bowl and air blisters appear.
Cover with cloth and let rise in warm place until doubled.
Punch dough down and let it rise again. Transfer dough to floured board, sprinkle top with flour, and roll out about 1/2\" inch thick.
With glass or biscuit-cutter, cut into rounds.
Arrange on floured board and proceed in either of the following ways:
SMALL PACZKI:
Place a spoonful of fruit filling (rose-hip preserves, cherry preserves, or other thick jam) off center on each round.
Raise edges of dough and pinch together over filling, then roll between palms snowball fashion to form balls.
Let rise in warm place until doubled.
LARGE PACZKI:
Place a spoonful of fruit filling as above on only 1/2 dough rounds, cover each with another round, pinch edges together, and roll between palms to form a ball.
Let rise until doubled in warm, draft-free place.
Heat 1 1/2-2 lbs. lard in deep pan so paczki can float freely during frying.
It is hot enough when a small piece of dough dropped into hot fat immediately floats up.
Fry paczki without crowding several minutes until nicely browned on bottom, then turn over and fry on other side another 3 minutes or so.
NOTE:
If using electric fryer, set temperature at 360-375 degrees.
If frying in stove-top pan and fat begins to burn, add several slices of peeled raw potato which will both lower the temperature and absorb the burnt flavor.
Paczki may also be fried in oil, but lard produces the tastiest results.
If you are cutting down on animal fats, you can compromise by using a lard and oil combination.
Transfer fried paczki to absorbent paper and set aside to cool.
When cool, dust generously with powdered sugar, glaze or icing.
RECIPES USING EGG WHITES:
Fat-Free, Sugar-Free & Cholesterol-Free Banana Bread! Recipe #45394.
Angel Food Cake Recipe #12591.
Fruit pies with meringue topping.