Puff pastry is very popular in the Czech Republic, and I think we're not the only ones. It’s easy to use; you almost can’t fail with it. Today I’ll show you how to make a Czech specialty, kohoutí hřebeny, stuffed with rich poppy seed filling.
What Is Kohoutí Hřebeny Pastry?
It’s a sweet puff pastry baked in the shape of “kohoutí hřeben”. You could translate this word as “rooster comb” because it resembles the pride every rooster bears on its head.
Kohoutí hřebeny pastry is usually stuffed with poppy seed or walnut filling. This recipe describes the poppy seed variant.
Ingredients
- Puff pastry; I used refrigerated puff pastry weighing about 1 lb (500 g)
- 1 egg; to brush the edges for a perfect seal; kohoutí hřebeny will hold together while being baked
- Flour; to dust the worktop
- Powdered sugar; to dust the baked pastry
✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.
Poppyseed filling
- Poppyseed; ground
- Granulated sugar; to sweeten the filling
- Jam; for more flavor, Czechs usually use plum jam
- Milk
- Lemon zest; freshly ground, to spice the filling
Poppyseed Filling Instructions
I described the whole process in a separate poppy seed filling recipe. Below you’ll find a short version, which covers everything essential to succeed while making the filling.
- Ground the poppy seeds, either in a dedicated poppy seed mill or in a clean coffee grinder.
- Place ground poppyseeds in a pot, add milk, bring to a boil on medium heat. Stir occasionally.
- Add jam, sugar, lemon zest to taste. Stir, reduce temperature and cook for 10 minutes until soft. Set aside and let cool down completely.
This poppyseed filling thickens while cooling down. Use for only when it's completely cold!
Making Kohoutí hřebeny
Before you start baking, preheat the oven to 440 °F (170 °C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
STEP 1: Cut puff pastry into 2 equal pieces, roll out each of them in a ¼ inch thick rectangle. Divide each rectangle into 6 small, similar-sized rectangles. Cut the edges off if they are not regular.
STEP 2: Cut the pastry in the center using a plastic dough cutter. Make similarly long cuts in a ⅔-inch distance. Leave a 1-inch perimeter around the pastry.
STEP 3: Place a cooled poppy seed filling over the cuts.
STEP 4: Brush the edges with a beaten egg. This prevents poppy seed filling from oozing out while baking. Fold one side down over the filling from oozing out while baking. Fold one side down over the filling and press the edges together to seal.
STEP 5: Transfer kohoutí hřebeny pastry on a baking sheet carefully. Bend the pastry lightly that the poppy seed filling can be seen a bit.
STEP 6: Bake the pastry for 15 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Dust with powdered sugar while served.
Kohoutí hřebeny made with puff pastry are fluffy and flaky, and they taste incredibly delicious.
Cook’s Tip
- Since you bend the pastry to form kohoutí hřebeny, some fillings can seep out. Don’t stress; it’s okay and is to be expected. An important note: always use cold poppy seed filling while making kohoutí hřebeny.
- You could know other goodies in the USA similar to kohoutí hřebeny called Bear Claws (made with almonds).
More poppyseed recipes:
- Loupáčky – sweet rolls sprinkled with poppy seeds
- Koláče – authentic kolache recipes
- Škubánky s mákem – there is NO translation of škubánky, you simply must try them out!
Recipe card
Puff Pastry with Poppy Seed Filling – Czech Kohoutí hřebeny
Ingredients
Poppy seed filling:
- 2 and ½ cups (200 g) poppy seed ground
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (82 g) jam (eg, plum jam)
- ½ Tbsp lemon zest
For kohoutí hřebeny:
- 1 lbs (450-500 g) puff pastry (refrigenated)
- 1 egg (to seal the edges)
- flour (to dust the worktop)
- powdered sugar (to dust the baked kohoutí hřebeny)
Instructions
Poppy seed filling
- In a pot with a thick bottom, combine ground poppyseed and milk.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent milk from burning. Add sugar, jam, and lemon zest.
- Lower the heat and cook until the poppyseed is soft; it takes about 10 minutes. Don’t forget stirring.
- When finished, transfer the poppyseed filling to a bowl, set it aside, and allow it to cool down completely.
Kohoutí hřebeny pastry
- Before you start baking, preheat the oven to 340 °F (170 °C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut puff pastry into 2 equal pieces, roll out each of them in a ¼ inch thick rectangle. Divide each rectangle into 6 small, similar-sized rectangles. Cut the edges off if they are not regular.
- Cut the pastry in the center using a plastic dough cutter. Make similarly long cuts in a ⅔-inch distance. Leave a 1-inch perimeter around the pastry.
- Place a cooled poppy seed filling over the cuts.
- Brush the edges with a beaten egg. This prevents poppy seed filling from oozing out while baking. Fold one side down over the filling from oozing out while baking. Fold one side down over the filling and press the edges together to seal.
- Transfer kohoutí hřebeny pastry on a baking sheet carefully. Bend the pastry lightly that the poppy seed filling can be seen a bit.
- Bake the pastry for 15 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Dust with powdered sugar while served.
Notes
- Makes about 10-14 pieces.
- Since you bend the pastry to form kohoutí hřebeny, some of the fillings can seep out. Don’t stress; it’s okay and is to be expected. An important note: always use cold poppy seed filling while making kohoutí hřebeny.
DISCLAIMER: Because I come from Central Europe, my recipes are based on metric units such as grams or milliliters. Check out how I convert metric units to the U.S. system:
Conversion chart
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