Doughnuts are one of the best sweet treats on the planet. They´re even better when filled with delicious fruit jellies.
Many of us are familiar with the traditional American-style jelly doughnuts, which are relatively light and airy, but did you know that an even sweeter, richer version exists in Poland?
This is where we meet the pączki (pronounced ¨POWNCH-kee¨). This doughnut is popular throughout the country of Poland, and was one of the best things that I tried during my trip to Krakow this fall. It is similar in appearance to traditional jelly doughnuts, but in my opinion, even tastier.
Pączki are available throughout bakeries in Poland, and are incredibly cheap. Almost all of them are less than 1 złoty, meaning that you can enjoy one for the equivalent of about $0.20.
The main differences between a pączki and a normal jelly doughnut are that the pączki dough is made with a thicker, richer dough containing more eggs, sugar, and cream than a typical doughnut´s. Also, a bit of grain alcohol is added to the dough as per Polish tradition.
Sugar is sprinkled on top when the dough is fried.
These pastries are hollow, but given a sweet touch with a variety of fruit fillings. You can fill a pączki with pretty much any fruit imaginable. The main fillings, however, are lemon, berry, apple, and plum jellies. Some bakeries even make a pączki filled with chocolate!
So, be sure to grab one of these delicious treats if you ever find yourself in a Polish bakery, whether it be in Poland or in another country with Polish immigrants. Smacznego!
