Kolache (aka kolace, kolach, or kolack) are Czech pastries that come in the shape of soft squares or circles and have fillings of fruit, cheese or meat. Here in Texas they are very popular, and my friends all seem to have their favorite Kolache hot spots. Mine is Weikel's in La Grange, where they make their kolache dough very soft. My goal it to make pastries as soft as theirs.
The pastries I made yesterday weren't as soft as Weikel's, but this is only the second time I've made them, and in looking at the varieties of recipes, I have a lot of experimenting to do. Some recipes use more egg, others call for mashed potatoes, and some recipes probably use soft flours such as White Lily. I also noticed that the recipe I made yesterday didn't call for any kneading, while the recipe I made 3 years ago did.
Either way, these were pretty good. While I’m not much of a yeast bread baker, I found this recipe very streamlined, easy to put together and loved the results. The recipe is adapted from a cookbook called A World of Cake. If you're an expert Kolache maker and have any tips to share, I would be very appreciative (as would Todd's co-workers who get to eat the experiments).
Here's the kolache recipe I made a while back (and have since updated). It's adapted from Texas Monthly where it was featured in the “The Ranch,” November 1998. It's from the Dorothy Bohac, Ph.D, who says “the quality of a kolache is in the texture of the dough. The kolache should be soft to the touch and the dough should be elastic.”
Recipe
Kolache
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup milk warmed – whole is probably a better choice
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3 ½ cups 1 pound all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter melted
Filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Posypka
- ½ cup 4 oz unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
Instructions
- Combine ⅓ cup of the milk and 1 teaspoon of the sugar in a small bowl and stir to dissolve sugar. Stir in the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Put the flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the remaining ⅔ cup of milk, remaining sugar, egg, butter, salt and the yeast mixture into the well and mix until smooth. Form the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size – about 2 hours.
- Make the posypka. Combine the butter, sugar and flour in a bowl and mix until it resembles a coarse meal.
- Make the filling. Beat together softened cream cheese and sugar. Beat in lemon juice. Reduce speed to low and beat in egg yolk and vanilla.
- Bake. When the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two baking sheets (I just used parchment). Punch down the dough to get rid of air. Scoop out 2-inch balls of dough (mine were larger) and drop them onto a floured work surface. Roll each scoop of dough into a ball, then press them down into a disk or a square. Press a finger into the center of each disk and fill the indentation with 1 to 2 teaspoons of filling. Place the disks on the baking sheets 2 inches apart. Let rise for 10 minteus Brush tops lightly with melted butter. Sprinkle the posypka on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from sheet and let cool. Makes about 15 to 20, depending on how big you make the rolls.
corinne says
I made this recipe today - http://www.frillsinthehills.com/2011/03/sunday-baking-project-kolaches-polish.html
I have never had them before, so I don't know if it's authentic, but I thought it was good, not great. If the bread part had been sweeter I would like it better I think.
Amanda. says
Look really good and I love cream cheese filled pastry!
Here is my family's recipe. My great-parents immigrated from Croatia. The dough is similar to your recipe, but different execution (rolled loaf) and fillings. We use Solo poppyseed filling, nut filling or date filling. I don't hear from many people who make "Kolachi" like my family's recipe... I hope you give it a try. http://stuffurface.wordpress.com/2010/12/06/skiba-kolachi/
Sandee61 says
These both sound wonderful. I haven't had them in ages, but I will soon. Thank you so much for the recipes. Great food blog! I'm subscribing immediately.
Mackenzie @ The Caramel Cookie says
These recipes sound so interesting. I've never had kolache before but I love working with yeast!
Babz says
Hi Anna. I have been a fan of yours for quite a while, but never before commented. The Kolache I was raised with is a cream cheese-based pastry (no yeast)and always had a fruit "filling". I can't wait to try one of the recipes you posted!
Betty says
Those look delish- we have a little kolache bakery in town, but it's about an hour away. Making my own would be much more sensible. 🙂
Sue says
That's a good looking Kolache!
debzy says
I would use a recipe that calls for kneading the dough - it makes it smoother. Any kolache I've ever made had to be kneaded and my family on my mom's side is almost 100% Czech 🙂 I think I'll make some this weekend!
Brenda says
I went to college in Waco and remember selling Kolaches on Friday mornings as a fund raiser for a club I belonged to. YUMMMM!
Louise says
Try one of the recipes with potato. I have no doubts they'll be soft.
Jordan says
You should go to Prasek's Smokehouse in Hillje (about an hours south of Houston on Hwy 59). They have the most amazing kolaches. Both savory and sweet. My parents bring a dozen every time the come visit and they are usually gone within the weekend. Yum!