Czech Donuts
I am a big fan of sweet doughs that often resemble donuts and seem very airy. You know, the kind of baked or fried dough that springs back when you press down on it. These doughs are typical of the dunkin donuts long john or boston cream donut or jelly bismarck. I also associate this dough with the infamous polish paczki. My mom used to make what she called Shishky (Slovak) or what is considered Vdolky. The dough started out as flat rounds then raised quite a bit when exposed to heat, often producing almost a partially flattened tennis ball or baseball shape. She would finish them off with putting a little prune or raspberry filling on top with a dollop of whipped cream or dusting of confectioners sugar. Some people like to take the finish batch of Vdolky and shake them up in a paper back with cinnamon sugar.
They are really tasty especially if you eat one while it is still relatively warm. Go ahead and make mom some Czech donuts for Mother’s Day.
Czech Donuts - Shishky (Vdolky)
1 packet of dry instant yeast
1 cup of milk
1/3 cup of sugar
1 egg
3 ¾ cup flour
½ stick of butter
¼ teaspooh salt
Optional:
Cinnamon sugar mixture or fruit topping with whipped cream
Method
1. Scald milk and butter, then cool to lukewarm temperature
2. Add yeast and sugar to cooled milk mixture and dissolve.
3. In a larger bowl combine flour and salt.
4. Add yeast mixture to flour and working into dough by rolling and kneading.
5. Set aside in bowl to rise until double in size.
6. Roll out dough into 1 inch thickness.
7. Cut out little “biscuits” with circular cutter and place on greased cookie sheet to rise again until double in size.
8. Preheat deep fryer to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
9. Place a few biscuits into oil and fry each side for about three minutes or until golden brown. (The donuts or shiske will rise in size).
10. Place on tray of paper towels to absorb excess grease.
11. Top Vdolky with jam, fillings, and a dollop of whipped cream.
They are really tasty especially if you eat one while it is still relatively warm. Go ahead and make mom some Czech donuts for Mother’s Day.
Czech Donuts - Shishky (Vdolky)
1 packet of dry instant yeast
1 cup of milk
1/3 cup of sugar
1 egg
3 ¾ cup flour
½ stick of butter
¼ teaspooh salt
Optional:
Cinnamon sugar mixture or fruit topping with whipped cream
Method
1. Scald milk and butter, then cool to lukewarm temperature
2. Add yeast and sugar to cooled milk mixture and dissolve.
3. In a larger bowl combine flour and salt.
4. Add yeast mixture to flour and working into dough by rolling and kneading.
5. Set aside in bowl to rise until double in size.
6. Roll out dough into 1 inch thickness.
7. Cut out little “biscuits” with circular cutter and place on greased cookie sheet to rise again until double in size.
8. Preheat deep fryer to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
9. Place a few biscuits into oil and fry each side for about three minutes or until golden brown. (The donuts or shiske will rise in size).
10. Place on tray of paper towels to absorb excess grease.
11. Top Vdolky with jam, fillings, and a dollop of whipped cream.
My grandmother used to call our Czech doughnuts "koblihy." The dough was prepared the same as above, only raisins were added.
ReplyDeleteInstead of being rolled out and cut into shapes, they were dropped into hot oil using a tablespoon, creating a freeform shape similar to hush puppies. After the doughnuts were fried and had a chance to cool, they were put into a small paper bag with granulated (not powdered) sugar, and shaken.
If you are rolling and cutting them into shapes, please be sure to use powdered vanilla sugar, as the aroma really adds to the finished recipe.
My Mom and her Mom did the same wih raisins but they called them pumpookee ( phonetically). Could be Slovak:
ReplyDeleteYes, my mom pulled the dough apart and deep fried it freeform. We were German/Bohemian (Czech). The youngest of us put them in a bag and shook them in granulated sugar; my mom and dad ate theirs with their coffee, no sugar added. So yummy.
ReplyDelete