Polish · Authentic-ish Polish
Paczki Doughnuts
325 kcal a serving, against 658 for the traditional version. That is 333 kcal off, or 51%, with 11.5g of protein. Serves 6. 3 hours including rising.
What the traditional version is
Enriched yeast dough (flour, egg yolks, butter, full-fat milk, sugar) kneaded and risen, shaped into balls, filled with rosehip jam, deep-fried until golden and dusted heavily with icing sugar.
What changed, and what each change costs
Butter down, fat-free Greek yoghurt in
Butter's vital for flavour and tenderness, but it's pure fat and brings little protein. Fat-free Greek yoghurt keeps the dough soft-ish and ups the protein a bit, but it isn't a wonder swap.
What it costs you. You'll miss that buttery waft the second you crack one open. The dough's lighter and the crumb is a bit more open, but it saves you half the fat and a fair few calories. Brush the top with a drop of melted butter if nostalgia hits.
Whole eggs and yolks down, one whole egg and two whites
Egg yolks are what give paczki their golden colour and rich crumb, but again, it's fat over protein. Cutting to one whole egg and two whites saves yet more fat, keeps the protein, and gives a lighter dough.
What it costs you. What you gain in smugness you lose in colour and richness. The dough tastes less like brioche, more like a sweet bun. At least it isn't a rock.
Deep-frying out, oven-baked with just a little spray oil
This is the first and loudest difference. Deep-fried doughnuts absorb oil, adding crunch and flavour (and a pile of fat). Baking avoids all the absorbed oil, but no matter what Instagram says, you can't bake your way to a fried crust.
What it costs you. This is where most people will call heresy. No, it doesn't taste fried. Yes, it's less exciting. It's a doughnut-shaped bread roll with jam, but it's still better than a rice cracker.
Rosehip jam rationed and swapped for a homemade applesauce-raspberry mix
Traditional rose jam's lovely but it's pure sugar, and you use a load to fill each one. Mixing applesauce and raspberries cuts the sugar, bumps up the fibre, and if you blitz it smooth, most people won't clock the swap at first bite.
What it costs you. Purists will grumble and they're right. The taste is tangier and you lose the Turkish delight note, but on the bright side, you can eat two and come out ahead of one traditional paczek.
Icing sugar dusted with sweetener instead
Icing sugar's all for show. A little sweetener gives you the look and a faint hint of sweetness with zero real impact on the numbers.
What it costs you. It's not going to stick the same way, and anyone who grew up with the real thing will know. Still, most of it ends up on your front anyway.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 658 | 325 |
| Protein | 10.8g | 11.5g |
| Fat | 30.9g | 3.1g |
| Saturated fat | 10.6g | 0.9g |
| Carbohydrate | 83.5g | 61.7g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 1.6g | 3.5g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Polish prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, eggs, milk.
The method is in the book
There's no tricking anyone who loves paczki proper with this baked version: they won't fool the memory or the taste buds. The difference between fried and baked is the first thing you'll notice, and the crumb is missing a certain bounce. The apple-raspberry filling doesn't pretend to be Turkish delight, but it's not a bad swap if your New Year's plans have gone off the rails early. On the upside, you can eat them and feel more alive than after a round of anything fried. If you just want something doughnut-shaped and jammy with half the faff and most of the guilt left in the bowl, this will do for a Tuesday.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Polish, along with 56 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.