Koláče (Czech Yeast Cakes)
Pastry made of a yeast dough served open-face (more commonly found) or enclosed. Usually sweet, filled with fruit jams or cottage cheese, but can also be enjoyed savoury.
Makes 10 or 16 depending on how big you like them
Ingredients
DOUGH
DRY BOWL
- 200 g AP flour
- 200 g semi - course flour
2 tsp instant dry yeast
¾ tsp salt
WET BOWL / POT
175 g milk
60 g butter (melted)
50 g sugar
2 eggs
ADDITIONAL
FILLING
250g fresh strawberries, hulled, chopped
100g sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
EGGWASH
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp water/milk
GARNISH
- 2 - 3 tbsp icing sugar
Directions
DOUGH
- Melt butter in a saucepan
- Add milk and sugar
- Whisk in yeast when mixture is at about 43 C
- Whisk in eggs
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a "Dry bowl"
- Pour the contents of "Wet bowl" and "Dry bowl" into the bread machine
- Knead and proof in bread machine
NO BREAD MACHINE?
- Knead 10 – 15 min by hand or 8 min in a stand mixer until smooth
- Cover and proof in an oiled bowl till double in size (about 1 hour)
FILLING
- Place the chopped strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan (preferably nonstick)
- Allow to sit until the strawberries releases some of its juices (about 30 minutes)
- Place the pot on medium high to cook while stirring occasionally until thick and jammy (about 10 minutes)
- Leave the strawberry chunks or mash with a fork or masher
- Set aside and allow to cool completely before use
SHAPING
Tip dough onto a floured surface
Degas and divide into 8 equal portions
Roll each portion into a ball and place them on a lined or greased baking sheet (use 2 baking sheets so they are well spaced out)
Shape the dough into the desired shape with your fingers or press a well-floured bottom of a cup down the middle of the dough to create the indentation
Fill each indentation with the cooled filling evenly
Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 30 - 45 minutes
BAKING
Brush the exposed dough with eggwash
Bake at 180 C / 350 F (preheated), for 16 - 20 minutes or till just lightly golden brown on the edges