Kolaches

I surprised the family with kolaches while they were here. I thought I'd dedicate a post to the process since it doesn't seem like a task undertaken by many people in my generation. I also wanted to talk about them because up here people think pigs in a blanket are kolaches. That is so wrong! I guess they can call them sausage kolaches, but kolaches are a fruit-topped pastry with no meat involved if you ask me. I am proud to say that I am keeping my Czech heritage alive by baking kolaches and strudel from time to time, just like Nanny taught me. I also know how to bake Lorne's great-grandmother Bert's coffee cake which I call marriage security-good luck finding another 29 year-old woman who is willing, and able, to do all three! :)

This time I made prune, cream cheese, pineapple, and cherry kolaches. To make it easier on the baker it is really best to make it a two-day process. The first day involves making the various fruit fillings. This also allows for the ingredients to congeal in the refrigerator overnight which allows for more flavor. The more popular are prune, poppy seed, cheese, pineapple, and apricot. There are lots of possibilities. Unless pie filling is used, the fillings are basically created by boiling and cooking down the fruit and adding various spices.

It's best to start early the next morning to give the dough time to rise. Once it is risen it is formed into 60 balls and brushed with butter. The balls have to rise and then the center is indented and the fruit filling and posipka (streusel topping) are added. This rises again and then they are baked. They are brushed with more butter (see why they're so good?) right when they come out of the oven. They cool in the pans. They are also great frozen and then warmed up in the microwave, but I rarely have any left to freeze.


The five dozen kolaches in their infant stage.


The kolaches after the fruit toppings and posipka have been added.


The finished product.


A close-up of the finished product.