Add
yeast to warm milk, stir to dissolve and set aside. In a large bowl or
stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together sugar and
butter until fluffy. Beat in eggs, brandy and salt until
well-incorporated.
Still using the paddle attachment, add 4 1/2 cups flour
alternately with the milk-yeast mixture and beat for 5 or more minutes
by machine and longer by hand until smooth. My grandmother used to beat
the dough with a wooden spoon until it blistered. Dough will be very
slack. If too soft, add remaining 1/2 cup flour, but no more.
Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, anywhere from 1 to 2 1/2 hours. Punch down and let rise again.
Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Pat or roll to
1/2-inch thickness. Cut rounds with 3-inch biscuit cutter. Remove
scraps, and re-roll and re-cut. Cover and let rounds rise until doubled
in bulk, 30 minutes or longer.
Heat oil to 350 degrees in large skillet or Dutch oven. Place
pączki top-side down (the dry side) in the oil a few at a time and fry 2
to 3 minutes or until bottom is golden brown. Flip them over and fry
another 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown. Make sure the oil doesn't
get too hot so the exterior doesn't brown before the interior is done.
Test a cool one to make sure it's cooked through. Adjust cooking time
and oil heat accordingly.
Drain pączki on paper towels or brown paper bags, and roll in granulated sugar while still warm.
Note: You can poke a hole in the side of the pączki and, using a
pastry bag, squeeze in a dollop of the filling of choice. Then dust
filled pączki with granulated sugar, confectioners' sugar or glaze.
Pączki don't keep well, so gobble them up the same day you make them or freeze.
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