Begin by dissolving the yeast, following the package instructions. This typically involves mixing it with warm water and letting it sit for about 10 minutes. You want to see it become bubbly and frothy, which indicates it's active and ready to work its magic.
In a large bowl, add approximately 6 cups (or 750g) of flour. Make a well in the center. This is where the magic will happen! It’s important to have a clean surface to work on, so make sure your bowl is spacious.
Lightly beat the eggs in a separate bowl, then add the melted butter, milk, sugar, and salt. Pour this mixture into the well you created in the flour.
Now, add the frothy yeast mixture to the bowl. Mix everything together until combined, creating a shaggy dough. Don’t worry about perfection at this stage; we’ll knead it into shape.
It’s time to knead! Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead until it’s soft and not sticky. This should take about 10 minutes. You want the dough to become smooth and elastic; a little workout never hurt anyone!
Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in size. This usually takes about an hour. Patience is key here, as this step is crucial for texture.
Once it’s risen, punch the dough down gently to release the air. Knead it lightly again before letting it rise for a second time. If you’re short on time, you can use a bread machine to speed up this process.
Next, roll out a small portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface until it's about half an inch thick. Use a round cutter or a coffee mug to cut out circles.
Take a small amount of your chosen filling (like poppy seeds or apricots) and place it in the center of each circle. Fold the edges over to form a pocket, pinching well to seal tightly. Ensure there are no gaps where the filling can escape.
Place the filled doughnuts seam-side down on a floured surface. Cover them and let them rise again for about 15 minutes. Keep an eye on them; you don’t want them to overrise!
While they’re rising, heat up a pot of vegetable oil to about 375° F (190° C). Carefully drop the doughnuts into the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Fry them for about 3 minutes, turning them to brown evenly.
As you remove them from the oil, try to leave as much oil behind as possible and place them on a stack of paper towels to absorb the excess oil. They should be golden brown and smelling heavenly by now!
For the filling, grind the cleaned dry poppy seeds in a coffee grinder. Combine them with the moistened raisins, honey, finely chopped nuts, and a touch of vegetable oil.
For the apricot filling, boil the apricots until soft, then drain and blend until smooth. If you're using prunes, repeat this blending process with them as well. Each filling will bring a different flavor profile to your Traditional Polish Doughnuts.
