Sweet Kolache

Description

Czechoslovakian dessert that has become popular as a traditional Texas festival treat. Can also be made as a savory dish. A cabbage filling is also given here as an example of a savory alternative.

• Note: Allow extra time for rehydrating if using the dry prune filling.

Ingredients

Dough

• 3 packages dry yeast
• ½ cup water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 2¾ cups milk (scald and cool to lukewarm)
• 7¼ cups flour (more or less)
• 3 teaspoons salt

Posypka topping

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup flour
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Poppyseed filling

• 1½ cups poppy seeds
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon flour

Cabbage filling

• 3 cups grated cabbage
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ounce butter
• ½ cup sugar (or more)
• ⅓ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon flour

Prune filling

• 12 ounces dried pitted prunes
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon grated lemon, rind of or orange rind

Apricot filling

• 1 (10 ounces) package dried apricots
• 1½ cups sugar, more to taste

Cottage cheese filling

• 1 pint dry curd cottage cheese
• 1 (8 ounces) package cream cheese
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 grated lemon, zest of
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice

Cream cheese filling

• 16 ounces cream cheese
• 2 egg yolks
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 grated lemon, rind of
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Prepare fillings and topping desired and set aside until ready to use.

Posypka topping

1. Mix all ingredients together until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Poppyseed filling

1. Combine poppyseeds, sugar and milk, and cook over medium heat until mixture begins to thicken.
2. Add butter, then flour which has been dissolved in a little bit of water.
3. Cook, stirring constantly until poppyseed is done, at least 30 minutes.
4. Allow to cool before use.
5. Leftover filling can be frozen.

Cabbage filling

1. Fry the cabbage in the butter until soft.
2. Add the salt, black pepper, sugar and flour, and fry until golden brown, being careful not to burn.

Prune filling

1. Place the prunes in a bowl and cover them completely with boiling water.
2. Let them sit overnight (or at least 6 hours) to rehydrate.
3. Drain the liquid off and mash prunes thoroughly with a fork or run them through a food processor.
4. Add the cinnamon, sugar, and lemon zest.
5. Mix thoroughly.
6. Fills 24 kolaches.

Apricot filling

1. Cook a 10 ounce package of dried apricots slowly in enough water to cover until fruit is soft and water is cooked out.
2. Do not cover or fruit turns dark.
3. Add 1½ cups sugar or more to taste and mash with a potato masher until well blended.
4. Filling for about 2 dozen kolaches.

Cottage cheese filling

1. Mix all ingredients together until blended.
2. If cheese is too moist, add very finely rolled crackers, about 10 or 12 to absorb liquid.
3. If using country-style cottage cheese, cream cheese can be omitted or used for added flavor, according to taste.
4. If using cottage cheese as a filling, be sure to enclose cheese in the dough.
5. Spread dough balls out, place cheese in the middle and pinch all sides together to seal completely.
6. Place sealed side down on the greased pan and butter the pastry.
7. Let rise until light, sprinkle with topping and bake.

Cream cheese filling

1. For cream cheese filling soften the cream cheese.
2. Beat remaining ingredients together with cream cheese in a medium-sized bowl.
3. Filling for about 2 dozen kolaches.

Dough and Assembly

1. Dissolve yeast in the ½ cup warm water in a tall glass, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar and set aside to proof.
2. In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter, add egg yolks and salt and mix well.
3. Add the dissolved yeast, 1 cup of the flour and mix slowly with an electric mixer.
4. Add the milk and continue adding as much of the remaining flour as you can mix in with a wooden spoon.
5. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough.
6. Continue kneading until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
7. Place dough in a greased bowl, turn once to grease surface.
8. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1½ hours.
9. Punch dough down and turn out onto lightly floured surface.
10. Pinch off egg size portions and roll into a ball using the palm of your hands in circular motion.
11. Place about 1 inch apart on greased pans.
12. Brush kolaches with melted butter, cover with a cloth and let rise until light, about 1 hour.
13. Use your fingers to make an indentation in each ball and fill each opening with about 1 tablespoon of filling.
14. Sprinkle with posypka topping (optional) and let rise again for 20 minutes.
15. Bake in a preheated 425°F oven for about 10–15 minutes.
16. Brush kolaches with melted butter as they come out of the oven.