Polish Baking
One of the first items that were baked in Poland was a beigel, also known to us American’s as a bagel. It was in a Jewish communities inside of Poland that the beigel was first developed. They would bake the beigel with whole-wheat flour, yeast, and many other ingredients. After the dough was developed, the polish bakers would roll up the dough into a long thin log and would shape them into a circle leaving a hole in the middle. When the beigels were ready to be baked they would stick them in their clay ovens at home and would bake them until they felt like they were done. People would make beigels and give them away as gifts to women who had recently given birth. As the idea of baking beigels was growing throughout the country, people started adding different ingredients and toppings and flavors to beigel so that it was not plain anymore. Beigels came to America around the early 1800’ s-1900 by a group of Polish Jewish immigrants who came to New York. Instead of being spelt the Polish way (beigel) we started to spell them bagel instead.
A popular holiday dessert that has been around for a long time in Poland is the makowiec. This dessert is most popular around the time of Easter and Christmas, but it is still made throughout the year on special occasions. Makowiec consists of lemon flavoring, orange peels, raisins, and poppy seeds and a lot more items that are mixed together. After these ingredients are mixed together they are poured on a thin layer of dough, which is then wrapped up and baked in their ovens. Before they are baked they are sometimes brushed with egg whites over the top, so that when baked it will become a little crispy on the outside. Once it is baked to the perfect consistency then the polish people like to drizzle vanilla frosting over the top once it has cooled down. The makowiec is often eaten with tea, after a meal, with a fruit preserve on top of it, or plain.
Paczkis are like an American donut. These donuts have been around since the Middle Ages. Paczkis are made with lots of butter, sugar, lard, oil, and many other items. Once the dough mixture is made, they fry small portions of the dough in oil until it becomes a golden brown. After they have been fried, they are sprinkled with powdered sugar. These paczkis are sometimes eaten plain but most of the time they have a filling inserted inside the middle. Some of the fillings that you can find inside a paczkis are a fruit puree/ jam, frosting, sugar, and custards. This dessert is not one that is only made for special occasions like weddings or holidays; they are made for an everyday enjoyment in Poland. Even though they are made every day they are favored on the Polish holiday Fat Tuesday, which is a day that is mainly devoted to this desert.
Babka wielkanocna is another type of a traditional polish baked dessert; it is a baked yeast cake. This dessert is made for the Easter Sunday holidays to celebrate the return of the egg. It is referred to as a yeast cake because the polish bakers add lots of yeast so that it will rise high instead of staying like a flat sheet cake. It is also made with lots of eggs and egg whites to resemble the return of the egg. This yeast cake was originally baked in a stone/clay oven and is now baked in a regular convection oven. After being baked and cooled down the Polish do not add anything to the middle or inside of the cake. Instead of adding things into the center of the cake, they like to drizzle lots of vanilla or chocolate frosting over the top and sides of the cake. This cake is very popular and is very good, I was able to find a recipe that I really like so I had to share it.
Complements to Barbara Rolek from https://www.thespruce.com/easter-babka-recipe-polish-wielkanocna-1135728
who posted this delicious cake recipe.
What You'll Need
• For the Cake:
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• 1 package active dry yeast
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• 1/4 cup warm water (no hotter than 110 degrees)
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• 6 ounces butter
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• 3/4 cup sugar
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• 1/2 teaspoon salt
•
• 1 cup scalded milk
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• 1 teaspoon vanilla
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• 3 large beaten room-temperature eggs
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• 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
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• 2 tablespoons lemon zest (optional)
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• 1/2 to 1 cup light or dark raisins
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• Confectioners' sugar (optional)
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• For the Optional Icing:
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• 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
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• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
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• 1 tablespoon boiling water
•
How to Make It
1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside. Place butter, sugar, and salt in a large bowl or stand mixer, and pour the scalded milk over it. Using the paddle attachment, mix until butter has melted and milk has cooled to 110 degrees or below. Mix in the vanilla and eggs. Add yeast and mix until well combined.
2. Add the flour, lemon zest (if using), and raisins and mix thoroughly. The dough will be of a thick cake batter consistency.
1. Heat oven to 350 F. Lightly coat a 10-inch babka pan, kugelhopf pan, Turk's head pan (turban pan), Bundt pan or tube pan with cooking spray. Pour batter into prepared pan and cover lightly with greased plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk or until dough reaches the top of the pan but no higher.
2. Bake about 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 190 degrees.
3. Cool on a wire rack and dust with confectioners' sugar before serving or, when the cake is cool, drizzle with the optional icing made by whisking together confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, and boiling water.
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