Description
Czech pastry magic weaves delicious “old fashioned homemade kolaches” through generations of family tradition. Sweet dough pillows filled with fruit preserve promise comfort and connection that will instantly transport you to a warm kitchen of love and nostalgia.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup butter
Liquid Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup warm water
Flavoring and Leavening:
- 2 packages active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Fruit preserves (apricot, strawberry, or blueberry)
Instructions
- Warm milk, sugar, butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Allow mixture to cool to lukewarm temperature.
- Dissolve yeast in warm water, letting it activate and become foamy for approximately 5 minutes.
- Combine cooled milk mixture with yeast solution and eggs in a large mixing bowl, stirring thoroughly until well incorporated.
- Gradually fold flour into liquid mixture, kneading until a smooth, elastic dough forms that pulls away from bowl sides.
- Transfer dough to a lightly greased container, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a draft-free area for 60 minutes until volume doubles.
- Gently deflate risen dough and portion into golf ball-sized rounds, placing them on a prepared baking sheet with slight spacing between.
- Create a small indentation in each dough ball’s center using fingertips or the back of a spoon.
- Carefully spoon fruit preserves into each dough ball’s depression, ensuring even distribution.
- Allow filled kolaches to undergo a second rise for 30 minutes, becoming puffy and slightly larger.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) while kolaches are rising.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until pastries transform into a rich, golden brown color.
- Remove from oven and let cool for several minutes before serving warm.
Notes
- Make sure milk mixture is lukewarm, not hot, to prevent killing the yeast when combining.
- Activate yeast in water between 100-110°F for optimal fermentation and rising.
- Use room temperature eggs to help dough mix more smoothly and consistently.
- Create deep thumb indentations for preserves to prevent overflow during baking.
- Test dough’s readiness by gently pressing with finger – it should spring back slowly.
- Experiment with different preserves like apricot, raspberry, or even savory fillings like cream cheese.
- Brush kolaches with egg wash before baking for a beautiful golden and shiny appearance.
- Store kolaches in airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or freeze for longer preservation.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Czech-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 235 kcal
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 190 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 37 mg