Traditional Bohemian Fruit Kolaches (Bohemian Pastries)

Traditional Fruit Kolaches are Bohemian pastries that were popular in my family's hometown of Milwaukee, which has a large Bohemian population.

When they are made correctly, kolaches are even more tasty than traditional Danish pastries.

Substitute Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 baking flour or your favorite gluten-free flour as desired.

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BOHEMIAN KOLACHES

Ingredients:

1 pkg active dry yeast

2 tablespoons warm water

1 cup milk, scalded and cooled

¼ cup sugar

½ cup melted butter (traditional recipe calls for duck or chicken fat, or schmaltz)

2 egg yolks

Approximately 4 cups flour or gluten-free flour

Kolache Dough:

1) Dissolve the yeast in the water. To the cooled milk add the sugar, 1/3 cup of the fat or butter, the egg yolks, the dissolved yeast, and 2 cups of the flour. Beat with electric mixer until mixture balls up on beaters and is smooth and shiny.

2) Beating by hand, work in remaining flour. Beat until dough is shiny and elastic, at least 5 minutes. Grease top of dough with 1 tablespoon of the remaining fat or butter. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk.

3) Punch dough down and let rise again. With greased hands, turn dough out onto a greased board. Divide dough into walnut-sized pieces and shape into balls. Place on greased baking sheet. Flatten slightly, cover and let rise until doubled in bulk.

4) Preheat the oven to 425°.

5) Make a small thumb-sized depression in each kolache and fill with a teaspoon of desired filling. Let filled kolaches rise 10 minutes.

6) Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden. Brush with remaining fat or butter.

Yield: 3 dozen. Note: The dough can be quadrupled to make 100-125 kolaches at a time. Each recipe for filling is more than ample for one recipe of the dough.

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KOLACHE TOPPINGS

Cottage cheese filling:

1 cup cottage cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon instant tapioca

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

¼ cup raisins

Mix all ingredients together. Use to spoon into the kolaches prior to baking.

Yield: About 1-1/4 cups.

Prune or apricot filling:

Prepared canned prune or apricot filling is available from Solo® and other brand names, or you can make your own, as follows:

1 pound dried prunes or apricots

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Place fruit in a saucepan, barely cover with water and cook until tender. Pit prunes, if used. Mash the fruit well and beat with remaining ingredients.

Use to spoon into the kolaches prior to baking.

Yield: About 2 cups.