Baked Paczki For Mardi Gras - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 1/2 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
2 (7 1/4 g) envelopes fleischmann's fast rising yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon dark rum
2 egg yolks
1 egg
Glaze
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup butter, melted
Toppings or Fillings
pudding or custard

Preparation

Mix 2 cups flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large mixer bowl.
Heat milk, butter and honey until very warm (120\u00b0 to 130\u00b0F). Add to flour mixture with rum, egg yolks and egg; beat 1 minute at low speed.
Increase speed to medium and beat 2 minutes.
Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thickness. Use a 3-inch cookie or biscuit cutter, to cut out as many rounds as possible.
Place rounds about 2 to 3 inches apart on parchment lined or lightly greased baking sheets. Re-roll and cut remaining dough.
Cover and let rise in a warm, draft free place 45 minutes to 1 hour, until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 375\u00b0F.
For glaze, mix honey and melted butter; set aside.
Bake 10 minutes. Brush glaze over packzi and continue baking for 2 to 4 minutes until light golden brown. If desired, brush again with any remaining glaze.
Let cool slightly, then dust or roll in sugar or powdered sugar.
Fillings:
Fruit or custard: Use a knife to cut a small slit in side of paczki. Use a small spoon (or pipe with pastry tip and bag) to insert a heaping teaspoonful. (vanilla rum custard or pudding is amazing!).
Chocolate: Use your finger to gently poke a small hole in side of paczki and insert 1 teaspoon chocolate chips into center of paczki while still warm.