Kolaches
By Sarah GabrielPublished on March 13, 2013
Time
1½ hours, plus 2½ hours rising and 20 minutes cooling
Yield
Makes 16 kolaches
Ingredients
DOUGH
1 cup whole milk 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted1 large egg plus 2 large yolks3 ½ cups (17 ½ ounces/496 grams) all-purpose flour ⅓ cup (2 ounces/57 grams) sugar 2 ¼ teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast 1 ½ teaspoons saltCHEESE FILLING
6 ounces (170 grams) cream cheese, softened3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest 6 ounces (170 grams/¾ cup) whole-milk or part-skim ricotta cheeseSTREUSEL
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and chilled2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugarEGG WASH
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milkBefore You Begin
Do not use nonfat ricotta cheese in this recipe. In step 1, if the dough hasn’t cleared the sides of the bowl after 12 minutes, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 2 tablespoons. In step 6, to prevent sticking, reflour the bottom of the measuring cup (or drinking glass) after making each indentation.
Instructions
- Grease large bowl. Whisk milk, melted butter, and egg and yolks together in 2-cup liquid measuring cup (butter will form clumps). Whisk flour, sugar, yeast, and salt together in bowl of stand mixer. Fit stand mixer with dough hook, add milk mixture to flour mixture, and knead on low speed until no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough clears sides of bowl but still sticks to bottom, 8 to 12 minutes.
- Transfer dough to greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Place dough on lower-middle rack and place loaf pan on bottom of oven. Pour 3 cups boiling water into loaf pan, close oven door, and let dough rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, and lemon zest on low speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add ricotta and beat until just combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl, cover with plastic, and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Combine flour, sugar, and butter in bowl and rub between fingers until mixture resembles wet sand. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Punch down dough and place on lightly floured counter. Divide into quarters and cut each quarter into 4 equal pieces. Form each piece into rough ball by pulling dough edges underneath so top is smooth. On unfloured counter, cup each ball in your palm and roll into smooth, tight ball. Arrange 8 balls on each prepared sheet and cover loosely with plastic. Place sheets on oven racks. Replace water in loaf pan with 3 cups boiling water, close oven door, and let dough rise until doubled, about 90 minutes.
- Remove sheets and loaf pan from oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bottom of 1/3-cup measure (or 2 1/4-inch-diameter drinking glass). Make deep indentation in center of each dough ball by slowly pressing until cup touches sheet. (Perimeter of balls may deflate slightly.)
- Gently brush kolaches all over with egg-milk mixture. Divide filling evenly among kolaches (about 1½ tablespoons per kolache) and smooth with back of spoon. Sprinkle streusel over kolaches, avoiding filling. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let kolaches cool on pans for 20 minutes. Serve warm.
for the dough
for the cheese filling
for the streusel
Time
1½ hours, plus 2½ hours rising and 20 minutes coolingYield
Makes 16 kolachesIngredients
DOUGH
1 cup whole milk
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg plus 2 large yolks
3 ½ cups (17 ½ ounces/496 grams) all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (2 ounces/57 grams) sugar
2 ¼ teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 ½ teaspoons salt
CHEESE FILLING
6 ounces (170 grams) cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
6 ounces (170 grams/¾ cup) whole-milk or part-skim ricotta cheese
STREUSEL
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and chilled
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar
EGG WASH
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
DOUGH
1 cup whole milk
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg plus 2 large yolks
3 ½ cups (17 ½ ounces/496 grams) all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (2 ounces/57 grams) sugar
2 ¼ teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 ½ teaspoons salt
CHEESE FILLING
6 ounces (170 grams) cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
6 ounces (170 grams/¾ cup) whole-milk or part-skim ricotta cheese
STREUSEL
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and chilled
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar
EGG WASH
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
DOUGH
1 cup whole milk
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg plus 2 large yolks
3 ½ cups (17 ½ ounces/496 grams) all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (2 ounces/57 grams) sugar
2 ¼ teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 ½ teaspoons salt
CHEESE FILLING
6 ounces (170 grams) cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
6 ounces (170 grams/¾ cup) whole-milk or part-skim ricotta cheese
STREUSEL
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and chilled
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar
EGG WASH
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Brought to America by Czech immigrants and popular in Texas, these sweet pastries are heaped with either fruit or cheese filling. Many recipes call for mixing the dough gently, but we found that lengthy kneading yielded a more supple dough that held air well, giving our kolaches a lighter crumb, while increased egg yolks and butter tenderize the dough. A greased and floured measuring cup makes even indentations in the formed pastries, and a sweet cheese or tangy fruit filling comes together easily and is spooned inside before baking.
Before You Begin
Do not use nonfat ricotta cheese in this recipe. In step 1, if the dough hasn’t cleared the sides of the bowl after 12 minutes, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 2 tablespoons. In step 6, to prevent sticking, reflour the bottom of the measuring cup (or drinking glass) after making each indentation.
Instructions
- Grease large bowl. Whisk milk, melted butter, and egg and yolks together in 2-cup liquid measuring cup (butter will form clumps). Whisk flour, sugar, yeast, and salt together in bowl of stand mixer. Fit stand mixer with dough hook, add milk mixture to flour mixture, and knead on low speed until no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough clears sides of bowl but still sticks to bottom, 8 to 12 minutes.
- Transfer dough to greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Place dough on lower-middle rack and place loaf pan on bottom of oven. Pour 3 cups boiling water into loaf pan, close oven door, and let dough rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, and lemon zest on low speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add ricotta and beat until just combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl, cover with plastic, and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Combine flour, sugar, and butter in bowl and rub between fingers until mixture resembles wet sand. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Punch down dough and place on lightly floured counter. Divide into quarters and cut each quarter into 4 equal pieces. Form each piece into rough ball by pulling dough edges underneath so top is smooth. On unfloured counter, cup each ball in your palm and roll into smooth, tight ball. Arrange 8 balls on each prepared sheet and cover loosely with plastic. Place sheets on oven racks. Replace water in loaf pan with 3 cups boiling water, close oven door, and let dough rise until doubled, about 90 minutes.
- Remove sheets and loaf pan from oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bottom of 1/3-cup measure (or 2 1/4-inch-diameter drinking glass). Make deep indentation in center of each dough ball by slowly pressing until cup touches sheet. (Perimeter of balls may deflate slightly.)
- Gently brush kolaches all over with egg-milk mixture. Divide filling evenly among kolaches (about 1½ tablespoons per kolache) and smooth with back of spoon. Sprinkle streusel over kolaches, avoiding filling. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let kolaches cool on pans for 20 minutes. Serve warm.
for the dough
for the cheese filling
for the streusel
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