Texas Czech Kolaches
These soft, buttery Czech pastries are a beloved Texas bakery tradition, especially in Central Texas towns settled by Czech immigrants. Each pillowy yeast bun is filled with sweetened cream cheese…
Ingredients
- 240 ml whole milk
- 85 g unsalted butter
- 75 g granulated sugar
- 7 g active dry yeast
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 420 g all-purpose flour
- 170 g cream cheese, softened
- 35 g powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 120 g apricot preserves
- 35 g all-purpose flour, for crumb topping
- 25 g granulated sugar, for crumb topping
- 25 g unsalted butter, melted, for crumb topping
- 15 g melted butter, for brushing
Instructions
- Warm the milk and 85 g butter in a small saucepan over low heat until the butter melts and the mixture is just warm, about 38°C to 43°C. Remove from the heat, stir in the sugar, and cool slightly if necessary.
- Pour the warm milk mixture into a large bowl and stir in the yeast. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, until foamy. Whisk in the egg yolks and salt.
- Add the flour gradually, stirring until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Knead by hand for 6 to 8 minutes, or with a dough hook on low speed for 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 60 minutes, until doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, make the filling by beating the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Make the crumb topping by mixing the flour, sugar, and melted butter until coarse crumbs form.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and arrange them on the sheet with space between them. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C. Using the back of a floured tablespoon or your fingertips, press a deep circular well into the center of each dough ball, leaving a raised border.
- Fill each kolache with about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese filling and 1 teaspoon of apricot preserves. Sprinkle the edges and filling lightly with the crumb topping.
- Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, rotating the pan once, until the kolaches are puffed and lightly golden. Brush the warm pastries with melted butter.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Watch the Texas Czech Kolaches cooking video
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