Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Indulging on Fat Tuesday
“Contrary to belief, Fat Tuesday is not the traditional paczki day,” said owner Benjamin Stuckey. “Paczki is a Polish doughnut that actually is celebrated on Fat Thursday, the Thursday before Mardi Gras.”
He said Chicago has a large Polish population and they celebrate with paczki on Thursday, Feb. 27 and Tuesday, March 4.
“We as Americans just gravitated towards the holiday where we already used to indulge before Lent, so that is why we have paczki on Fat Tuesday.”
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
What is paczki?
Paczki, pronounced "pownch-key‚" is made using a richer, egg based dough. It’s meant to be heavier and at Baker Benji’s it has more filling than the bakery’s filled doughnuts.
It’s a way to indulge and essentially, is a “vessel to get custard in your mouth,” Stuckey said.
Baker Benji’s is offering a variety of new paczki fillings including chocolate custard, chocolate cream, peanut butter, caramel and coconut custard.
Other fillings available include raspberry, blueberry, lemon, strawberry, peach, apricot, apple, custard and cream. The Polish doughnuts come glazed, powdered or sugared. Vegan paczki is also available.
How is paczki made?
The paczki at Baker Benji’s are not the traditional round shaped doughnuts found in grocery stores.
The bakery uses its bun divider to cut the paczki dough. After the dough is cut, it goes into a proofer for about 40 minutes before it can be fried.
Paczki takes longer than a regular doughnut to be fried. Once the outside of the doughnut is golden brown, it’s ready to be glazed and then filled.
Last year, was the first time Stuckey had made paczki. He said Jennifer Evans, the former owner of Evans Bakery, walked him through the process.
“Because it’s so similar to doughnuts, it wasn’t difficult to learn,” Stuckey said.
Other treats to celebrate Mardi Gras
Other Mardi Gras-inspired treats offered at the bakery include:
- Beignets (airy French doughnut with powdered sugar)
- King Cake Churros (brown sugar cinnamon churros with vanilla icing and Mardi Gras sanding sugar)
- Traditional King Cakes (flakey, sweet dough filled with choice of cinnamon, strawberry, raspberry, pecan or apple)
- Cajun Coffee Cakes (the bakery’s famous Royal Coffee Cake with vanilla icing and Mardi Gras sanding sugar)
- Mini King Cakes (jumbo, flaky cinnamon rolls with cream cheese buttercream and Mardi Gras sprinkles)
Stuckey spent the first week of the Mardi Gras season in New Orleans where he saw people come together over food.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
MORE DETAILS
Baker Benji’s, located at 700 Troy St., is open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
The bakery offers a variety of doughnuts in its case daily, as well as cream horns, rosebud fritters, cookies, brownies and more.
Baker Benji’s opened in the former space of Evans Bakery in April 2023. Stuckey is appreciative of “the unwavering support from the community around us.”
For more information, visit the bakery’s Facebook or Instagram pages (@bakerbenjis).
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