Kolaches

This incredibe Czech Kolaches recipe will satisfy your cravings for a delightful and versatile pastry treat. These soft, pillowy pastries filled with a sweet fillings are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or as a delightful snack.

Ingredients and substitutions for Kolaches

• Plain flour: Plain or all purpose flour is recommended here which results in a nice light brioche style crumb.
• Eggs: As well as adding structure to the dough and cheese filling, the eggs will bind everything together, so are essential.
• Butter: Softened butter blends best to create a nice buttery, almost brioche style dough. Unsalted was used here as this is fresher than salted, however, you could absolutely substitute salted butter in equal measure.
• Sugar: Superfine or caster sugar works best here adding a little sweetness to our dough
• Quark or cottage cheese: Quark is more commonly used in Central Europe due to it’s very light creaminess and a great substitute is cottage cheese which has the right tangy and creaminess.
• Jam: Plum or apricot jams are more traditional in kolaches and they both tastes great, a blueberry or blackberry would also be substitute in these.
• Raisins: Raisins or sultanas can be used in equal measure here and are traditional so are recommended to be included, unless you hate them, then you do you!

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Kolaches:

Step 1: Yeast start: Place the sugar, yeast and milk into a bowl and whisk to combine.

Step 2: Dough base: Add eggs, flour and softened butter to the yeast and knead to form a dough.

Step 3: Knead: With a dough hook or by hand until you have a smooth dough.

Step 4: Rise: Cover the yeast dough and set aside until doubled in size.

Step 5: Cream cheese filling: Stir the creamy filling until smooth.

Step 6: Divide: Place the sweet dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces.

Step 7: Roll each out: Roll a ball of dough into a circle and press the center down with the base of a glass.

Step 8: Form a high edge: Push the dough towards the glass while pressed into your dough to form a high edge. Press down into the center and shape to have round edges.

Step 9: Fill: Place the dough onto your baking tray and spoon the cream cheese filling into the center.

Step 10: Top: With the fruit filling and brush the beaten egg over the edges.

Step 11: Make the streusel (optional): Combine the ingredients until it resembles a rough crumble mixture.

Step 12: Sprinkle: Scatter the streusel topping over.

Step 13: Bake: Bake until golden.

Step 14: More optional streusel: Top with more streusel whilst your kolaches are still warm.

Step 15: Serve up: Dig in and enjoy.

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Kolaches

Sylvie Taylor

Buttery style brioche pastry with a cream cheese and jam filling and topped with a streusel that makes this Czech Koláce - Kolaches recipe a perfect pick-me-up or even better breakfast treat.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Baking time total (3 kolaches per tray) 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Czech

Servings 12

Calories 398 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Dough

• 7 grams / 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
• 250 milliliters / 1 cup whole milk lukewarm
• 70 grams / 5 tablespoon superfine/caster sugar
• 564 grams / 3 ½ cups plain flour
• ½ teaspoon sea or kosher salt
• 110 grams / 2 large eggs room temperature
• 110 grams / 3.9 ounces butter softened

Filling

• 250 grams / 8.8 ounces quark or cottage cheese
• 55 grams / 1 large egg room temperature
• 14 grams / 1 tablespoon superfine/caster sugar
• 20 grams / 2 tablespoons raisins
• 338 grams / 1 cup plum or apricot jam
• 38 grams / 1 small egg room temperature and lightly beaten

Streusel topping (optional)

• 100 grams / ½ cup superfine/caster sugar
• 100 grams / ⅔ cup - 1 teaspoon plain flour
• 100 grams / 3.5 ounces butter softened

Instructions

 

Dough

• Place the warm milk, 1 tablespoon of the sugar and yeast into a large bowl and whisk to combine.
• Set aside to activate for 5 minutes.
• Add the remaining sugar, eggs, flour and softened butter to the yeast mixture and knead with an electric mixer on low to form a dough.
• Knead on medium until you have a smooth dough, approximately 7 minutes.
• The enriched dough will still look slightly sticky, but when you touch it it or handle it to form into a ball, it should barely stick to your hands and that is when it’s ready to proof.
• Lightly coat the base of your bowl with a little flour and place dough therein.
• Cover with a tea towel and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line a baking tray.

Filling

• Meanwhile, place the quark or cottage cheese, sugar and egg into a bowl and stir to combine until smooth.
• Once the dough has risen, separate into 12 equal pieces.
• Fold the center of the dough out to make a nice smooth ball and place on your work surface before repeating with the remaining dough.
• Roll a ball of dough into a circle and press the center down with the base of a glass.
• Push the dough towards the glass while it still pressed into your dough to form a deep indentation.
• Smooth out the center of your dough and the edges.
• Place the dough onto your baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Spoon the cheese filling into the center.
• Top with the plum jam and brush over a little of the egg wash over the dough.

Streusal topping (optional)

• If you are making the streusel topping, combine the butter, sugar and flour into a bowl until it resembles a rough crumble mixture.
• Sprinkle the streusel topping over, if using.
• Place into the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 20 minutes.
• Remove and place onto a cooling tray.
• If using streusal, sprinkle over a little whilst your kolaches are still warm.
• Repeat with your remaining dough until all your kolaches are complete.
• Serve up and dig in!
• Enjoy.

Video

Notes

• Quark or cottage cheese: Quark is more commonly used in Central Europe due to it’s very light creaminess and a great substitute is cottage cheese which has the right tangy and creaminess.
• Raisins: Raisins or sultanas can be used in equal measure here and are traditional so are recommended to be included, unless you hate them, then you do you!
• Creating the indent in your pastry: A flat bottomed glass will help you create a nice high edge  in your pastries.
• Filling flavor options: Whilst there are two authentic Czech jams used here, you can choose from a range of options, such as fruit jams like plum, strawberry, apricot, or even a poppyseed filling. Whilst this recipe focuses on traditional sweet fillings, you can even make these with savory filling such as cheese, sausage, or even jalapeno.
• Make ahead: Whilst these Czech pastries are best served within 24 hours of baking, simply keep in an airtight container when not serving. Serve at room temperature or warm lightly in an oven set to 100C/212F.

Adapted from several sources

Nutrition

Calories: 398kcal

Keyword bread, breakfast, brunch, jam

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