Gniazdka, Spanish or Viennese Doughnuts

Last year I swore I wouldn't make pączki (Polish doughnuts). So I focused on baked doughnuts and on frying oponki (puffy fried dough rings), faworki (crispy fried angel wings) and donuts. This year, though, I decided to try my luck once more, and I started with probably my favorite doughnuts of all: gniazdka ("little nests"). That's how I've known them since childhood, as gniazdka. Only recently did I find out that these nests are also called Viennese or Spanish doughnuts. Do they have anything to do with those places? I have no idea. What matters is that they taste great :) I'll get back to the classic yeast-raised pączki too.

Gniazdka, Viennese doughnuts, Spanish doughnuts

Even though mine turned out more like mini gniazdka, they taste exactly the way I remember them from childhood. They're plump, delicate, hollow inside and slightly moist. Simply delicious. Too delicious, because I struggled so hard not to eat them all ;) I know, I know, I'm bragging, but I'm just so happy they turned out well. I picked up the frying method from Dorotus76.

Gniazdka, Viennese doughnuts, Spanish doughnuts

I brushed some of them with glaze and dusted the rest with powdered sugar. We liked the glazed ones better. You can also drizzle them with chocolate glaze or roll them in sugar.

I got 15 doughnuts, each about 5-6 cm in diameter.

Gniazdka, Viennese doughnuts, Spanish doughnuts

Directions:

In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil with the butter and salt. Then add the sifted flour all at once and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the dough is smooth and starts to pull away from the sides of the pot. Let the dough cool well, then transfer it to the bowl of a stand mixer, mix briefly, and add the eggs and the yolk one at a time, mixing on low speed. Mix until the dough is smooth, but no longer than that.

Cut parchment paper into 10 cm squares and grease them with fat. In a wide pot, heat the oil to about 170°C (340°F). Onto each square, pipe a ring of dough 5-6 cm in diameter using a pastry bag. You can pipe thinner rings (about 1 thumb thick) or thicker ones (2 thumbs ;)). I prefer the thicker ones because they turn out more plump.

Place the rings paper side up on the hot oil and wait until the paper comes loose (I fold up one corner so it's easier to keep track of the paper). This may take about a minute. The paper should peel away slightly. I recommend not pulling the dough off the paper (unless you have to because the doughnut is burning), since the doughnut might not rise. When it turns lightly golden, flip it over and keep frying until it reaches the right color. I turn mine about 2 times and let them crack a little. Drain on a paper towel or a kitchen towel. Glaze and devour.

Glaze:

Mix the powdered sugar with a few drops of vanilla extract and the lemon juice. Use proportions that make the glaze thick but still easy to spread. Brush it over the doughnuts and let it dry.

Enjoy!