Czech Beleše Yeast Pancakes

Czech Beleše pancakes covered with plum butter and poppy seeds.

Beleše are pancakes made of yeast dough from the Slovácko area, located in the south-east of the Czech Republic. Enjoy Beleše pancakes with plum butter and sweetened ground poppy seeds!

Course Snack

Cuisine Czech

Keyword Czech specialty, Yeast recipes

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 5

Rising time 1

Total Time 1 25

Servings pieces

Calories 165kcal

Author Petra Kupská

Ingredients

Yeast starter:

½ cup lukewarm milk 110-115°F/42°C
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoon active dry yeast

Yeast dough:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk
½ cup lukewarm milk 110-115°F/42°C
⅛ teaspoon salt

Coating:

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup plum butter (Czech Povidla)
⅓ cup ground poppy seeds
½ cup powdered sugar

Cups - Metric

Instructions

Make ahead: Before you start making the yeast dough, take the egg and butter out of the fridge about an hour in advance to bring them to room temperature.
In ½ cup lukewarm milk, whisk 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, and 1 ½ teaspoon active dry yeast. Leave in a warm place to activate until bubbles appear on the surface. This will take about 10–15 minutes.
Pour 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour into a mixing bowl. Add the activated yeast mixture, the ½ cup lukewarm milk, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and 1 egg yolk.
Knead in a mixer with a dough hook attachment on medium speed for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Transfer the yeast dough to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes. The dough should double in volume during this time.
Divide the proofed dough into equal pieces and roll each one into a ball about the size of a baseball. Cover with a clean cloth and let them proof a second time for about ten minutes.
Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat without adding any oil. Carefully stretch the raised dough balls into pancakes roughly the size of your palm.
Fry the Beleše pancakes on both sides for about 2 minutes each. Repeat until all the pancakes are cooked.
Melt 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter in a saucepan on the stove. Brush the hot pancakes with butter on one side. Then, brush the pancakes with plum butter on the same side you have buttered them. Use about two teaspoons of plum butter per pancake.
Combine ⅓ cup ground poppy seeds and ½ cup powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Press each pancake, plum butter side down, into the poppy seed mixture.

Notes

The basic recipe makes about 15 Beleše pancakes, depending on their size.
SERVING: Plan your Beleše preparation so that your loved ones are around when the pancakes are ready to be served. From start to finish, it will take about an hour.
I kneaded the dough in a stand mixer with the dough hook attached. For more experienced home bakers, the yeast dough can also be kneaded by hand in a bowl using a wooden spoon. Kneading by hand takes more time and physical effort.
I recommend starting with one pancake sample. Fry the pancake according to the instructions above, then remove it to a cutting board and tear it apart with two forks. Check to see if it's cooked inside, and adjust the frying time if necessary.
How to reheat Beleše: Pour about ⅓ inch (less than 1 cm) of milk into a wide pan. Bring gently to a boil, remove from the heat source immediately, and carefully place the pancakes, topped side up, into the milk. Cover with a lid and let steam for five minutes.

Nutrition