Lomnice Rings (Czech Lomnické kroužky)

Traditional Czech powdered sugar donuts on a black plate.

Lomnice Rings (Czech Lomnické kroužky)

Lomnice Rings are a regional specialty from northern Bohemia. These delicate yeast rings coated in vanilla powdered sugar are perfect for the holidays, a family gathering, or an afternoon with a cup of coffee!

Course cookies

Cuisine Czech

Keyword Bohemian specialty, grandma's recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 12

Resting & shaping 3

Total Time 3 42

Servings pieces

Calories 71kcal

Author Petra Kupská

Ingredients

Dough:

⅓ cup whole almonds
½ cup milk lukewarm, 100°F (38°C)
¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
⅔ stick unsalted butter at room temperature
1 yolk at room temperature
⅓ cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon zest freshly grated
3 cups all-purpose flour (plain flour, hladká mouka)
¼ teaspoon salt

To finish

3 cups water for syrup
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar for syrup
1 ½ cups powdered sugar for coating. Use vanilla-infused powdered sugar if possible.

Cups - Metric

Instructions

Grind ⅓ cup whole almonds using a hand rotary grinder.
Dissolve ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast and a little sugar in ¼ cup of warm milk, taken from the total measured amount of ½ cup milk. Let sit until foamy.
Cream ⅔ stick unsalted butter with 1 yolk and ⅓ cup powdered sugar until smooth. Add ¼ teaspoon salt and 1 Tablespoon lemon zest.
Add the ground almonds, the remaining milk, and 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted. Mix to combine.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for at least 5 minutes until firm and smooth. Shape into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1½ hours.
Briefly knead the risen dough and cut into equally sized pieces. Roll each into a strip ⅓ inch (1 cm) thick, wrap around a 1½ inch (4 cm) round container, slide off, and press the ends firmly together. Place on a lined baking sheet and let them rest for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 °F, upper and lower heat. Bake until lightly golden, about 12 minutes.
Bring 3 cups water to a boil and stir in the 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar to make a syrup. Pour into a wide, shallow bowl.
Immediately dip the hot rings in the syrup one by one, then roll in a bowl of 1 ½ cups powdered sugar.
Place on a cooling rack and let dry completely, Lomnické kroužky are usually ready the next day.

Notes

The basic recipe makes about 50 pieces of Lomnice Rings.
Two things are worth emphasizing: knead the yeast dough for at least 5 minutes to develop the gluten, this makes it elastic and easy to work with. Second: work quickly when dipping. Coat the hot rings in syrup and sugar without delay, and let the excess syrup drip off before rolling in powdered sugar.
A note on rising: Please keep in mind that this dough is rich in butter and contains only a small amount of yeast, so do not expect it to rise dramatically. It will be more subtle than a typical bread dough.
STORAGE: Store in a paper box lined with parchment paper or paper towels, loosely covered with aluminum foil, in a cool, dry place. The rings keep well for at least two weeks, and over time they soften beautifully and truly melt in your mouth!
You can also freeze them in an airtight container for up to three months.

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