Paczki

Warm the sweet cream to 110°F and crumble the yeast cakes into a large mixing bowl, then pour the warm cream over the yeast and let sit for 2 minutes to activate.

Beat the egg yolks with sugar until pale and thick, about 2 minutes, then add the salt and rum and mix until combined.

Pour the egg yolk mixture into the yeast mixture and stir until blended.

Melt the butter and let cool slightly, then add to the bowl and mix well.

Gradually add the all-purpose flour, mixing continuously, until a soft dough forms that is slightly sticky but holds together.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1-1.5 hours.

Punch down the dough and roll out to ¼-inch thickness on a floured surface, then cut into 3-inch rounds using a round cutter.

Place rounds on parchment paper, cover loosely, and let rise again until puffy and light, about 30-40 minutes.

Heat oil to 375°F in a deep pot or deep fryer (depth of oil should be 2-3 inches for proper frying).

Carefully slide paczki into the hot oil in small batches, frying for 1-2 minutes per side until deep golden brown.

Transfer the fried paczki to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool slightly before filling with jam or prune filling and dusting with powdered sugar.