Kolaches (Sweet Czech Pastries)

(from kylerhea’s recipe box)

To make a cream cheese and jam filling, mix 4 ounces of softened cream cheese and 2 Tbs sugar. Fill each dough round with about 1 tsp of the sweetened cream cheese and top it with 1/2 tsp of apricot or seedless raspberry jam.

Source: America's Best Lost Recipes

Serves 20 people

Categories: BAKED GOODS, BREAKFAST

Ingredients

  • Dough:
  • 1/2 cup warm milk (110 degrees)
  • 3 Tbs sugar
  • 2 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg yolk, beaten
  • 11/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp rapid-rise or instant yeast
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Filling:
  • 1/2 cup pitted prunes
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 2 Tbs sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

  1. For the dough:

  2. Lightly grease a large bowl with cooking spray. Mix the milk, sugar, butter, and egg yolk together in a large measuring cup. Stir the flour, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. With the mixer on low, add the milk mixture. After the dough comes together, increase the speed to medium and mix until shiny and smooth, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a heavily floured work surface, shape into a ball, and place in the greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

  3. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to a 12-inch circle, about ΒΌ inch thick. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut the dough into rounds and arrange in the greased cake pans with two in the center and eight around the perimeter of each pan. Cover the pans with plastic wrap and let rise until the dough in doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

  4. For the filling:

  5. Bring the prunes, water, sugar, and cinnamon to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer until the prunes soften, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth.

  6. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the over to 375 degrees. Using your fingers, make a 1-inch indentation on the top of each dough round and press to form a small circle. Fill the center of each round with 1 tsp of the filling. Bake until golden brown, 15-20 minutes.

Email to a friend | Print this recipe | Back