Kolaches

If you're digging my plate, there is still a very limited supply available at Home A La Mode in 8" and 12"

Being a native Texan, it's hard to imagine life without kolaches!  For those of you that need to be educated, a kolache is a Czech sweet bun made from yeasted dough and usually having a fruit or poppy seed filling.  They are such a yummy little piece of heaven.  There are some people that will try to give you a "kolache" with sausage inside.  My friends, please hear me when I say, "THAT IS NOT A KOLACHE!!!  IT IS A PIG IN A BLANKET!!!"  There.  I got that out of my system. *Panting*  If you want the actual Tex-Czech name for a 'Pig In A Blanket' it is "klobasnek"  If you want to join my anal-retentive kolache world, here's a pretty good read on the differences.

Anyway, the best place to buy these little goodies is in a small town called West, TX at The Czech Stop.  It is halfway between Dallas and Austin.  It's just a little far for me to drive there to go get one.  =(  But, I have found a recipe that is just about as close as you can get to the ones at The Czech Stop.  *High pitched squeal!*  I found the recipe at The Homesick Texan.  She has such pretty pictures of the finished product too!  Thanks Homesick Texan for sharing! 


The following is the word for word recipe with my pics added in.  I will post a few of my tips at the end.

Kolaches 

(adapted from recipes found in Texas Monthly and the HoustonChronicle as found on The Homesick Texan)

Makes 18 rolls


Ingredients:
1 package of active dry yeast
1 cup of warm milk
1/4 cup sugar
3 cups of all-purpose flour
2 eggs
3/4 cup of melted butter
1 teaspoon of salt

Method:
In a large bowl, combine yeast, warm milk, sugar and one cup of flour. Cover and let it rise until doubled in size.
Beat together eggs, 1/2 cup of melted butter (reserve 1/4 cup for brushing on the pastry) and salt.
Add egg mixture to yeast mixture and blend.
Stir in about two more cups of flour, 1/2 cup at a time. The dough should be soft and moist.
Knead dough for about 10 minutes on floured surface. Don't worry, it’s a joy to knead as the dough is smooth and highly malleable.
Put dough in a greased bowl and let rise covered until doubled in size—about an hour.
After dough has risen, punch it down and pull off egg-sized pieces. In your hands, roll pieces into balls and then flatten to about three inches in diameter. Brush with melted butter.
Place flattened pieces on a greased cookie sheet, cover and let rise again for another half-hour.
After second rising, with your finger gently make an indention in the center of the dough (be careful not to flatten it too much)

and fill with one tablespoon of fruit filling (recipe to follow) 

and sprinkle with posypka (recipe to follow).

Bake in oven at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Brush with melted butter when you take them out of the oven and serve warm.












Kolache filling
Ingredients:
1 pound of dried fruit such as apricots or prunes.
Sugar to taste
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
Lemon zest

Method:
Soak the dried fruit in water for a few hours or overnight.
When fruit is re-hydrated, cook on low for 15 minutes, adding sugar to taste (I find the fruit sweet enough so I don’t add sugar, but you may prefer it sweeter), cinnamon and lemon zest. Mash with a potato masher until you have a puree.


Posypka

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Method:
Mix all ingredients until crumbly.




My tips for this recipe:

• Dough: I needed closer to 4 cups of flour vs. 3.  Start with 3 cups and if the dough is too sticky to knead, add  flour 1/4 cup at a time.
• Filling: I did not try the recipe.  I used a cherry fruit spread instead.
• Posypka: I found that it made way more than needed.  Feel free to cut it in half.  You will still have plenty to spare.  You also may need to add a little bit of butter.