Czech Plum Kolaches

Kolaches (koláče) have always been an essential part of Czech cuisine. These are round, sweet pastries with a variety of generous fillings in the center. Autumn in the Czech Republic means plum season, so I have dedicated this recipe to plum kolaches.

Course Sweet Pastry

Cuisine Czech

Keyword Plum recipes, Sweet Yeast Dough

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 25

Rising Time: 1 30

Total Time 2 25

Servings kolaches

Calories 602kcal

Author Petra Kupská

Ingredients

Kolache dough:

3 cups all-purpose flour
⅔ cup milk warm
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons instant yeast
⅓ cup granulated sugar
½ Tablespoon lemon zest freshly grated
½ stick unsalted butter softened at room temperature
¼ teaspoon salt

Plum for filling:

2 pounds fresh plums preferably Italian plums
6 teaspoons granulated sugar to sweeten the plums

Posypka streusel topping:

⅓ stick unsalted butter
¼ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup all-purpose flour

Egg-wash

1 egg white

Cups - Metric

Instructions

Start by preparing the yeast dough in a stand mixer. Put 3 cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 2 egg yolks, ½ Tablespoon lemon zest, and 2 teaspoons instant yeast into a mixing bowl. Pour in ⅔ cup milk (lukewarm).
Knead the ingredients in a stand mixer for two minutes until roughly combined. Then add ½ stick unsalted butter (softened) and ¼ teaspoon salt. Knead the dough on medium to high speed (I knead on speed 3-4 out of 5) for 10 minutes.
Using a plastic scraper, remove the dough from the bowl to a floured work surface. Turn the dough once until flour is on both sides.
Pull the dough to the sides and fold it like a letter into an envelope. Repeat twice. Finally, pull the ends of the dough away from the sides and fold them toward the center. Press the ends together to form a ball.
Place the prepared dough ball, seam side down, in a bowl, dust lightly with flour, cover with a clean tea towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume. This will take about an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the room conditions.
Dump the dough on a floured surface and divide it into six equal portions. If you have a kitchen scale, feel free to weigh each portion for perfectly sized kolaches.
Pull the ends out of each piece and fold them over to meet in the middle, then press the ends together. This is a similar process to what you did with the whole dough after you removed it from the bowl.
Place the ball seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. This will give the kolaches a nice, even, round shape. Cover with a dish towel and let rise for about 20 minutes.
Before the balls rise, prepare a streusel topping with ⅓ stick unsalted butter, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour and ¼ cup granulated sugar. Next, wash and dry the plums and remove the pits. If the plums are large, quarter them.
Cover a suitable flat-bottomed container with a clean cloth and dip it in a little flour. Make a well in each of the risen balls. Press down on the center of each first, then shape the edges to complete the well.
Brush the edges of the pressed kolaches with the 1 egg white left over from making the dough.
Place 2 pounds fresh plums (pitted and halved) on the prepared kolaches, cut side up. If the plums are sour, sprinkle them with a teaspoon of sugar. Finally, top with the streusel topping.
Bake the plum kolaches in a preheated oven at 380 °F for 16 minutes until the edges turn golden brown.

Notes

Makes 6 kolaches (ø6-7 inches / 15-17 cm).
The kolache dough is very soft and slightly sticky. It is ideal for processing in a kitchen stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. If you don't have a stand mixer, I recommend preparing the dough in a bowl and working it with a wooden spoon (for more experienced bakers).
Put plums and other fresh fruit, cut side up, on top of the kolaches. This allows some of the fruit juice to evaporate during baking and prevents the dough from getting wet under the fruit.
This recipe can be made with other fruits besides plums, such as apricots or cherries.
STORAGE: If you know you will eat all the kolaches within three days, you can leave them on the kitchen counter covered with a clean dish towel. To extend the shelf life of kolaches, place them in a plastic bag or airtight container and store in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to a week.
HOW TO FREEZE KOLACHES: Kolaches freeze well. They will keep for three months in the freezer in an airtight bag or container. Always defrost by removing the kolache and letting it thaw at room temperature on the kitchen counter. The sooner you freeze the kolaches after baking, the softer they will be when thawed.

Nutrition