Czech Tied Kolache (Vázané koláče, Šátečky)

Czech tied kolache (vázané koláče) served on a platter.

Czech Tied Kolache (Vázané koláče, Šátečky)

Tied kolache are a type of Czech pastry made with yeast dough, filled with sweet farmers cheese filling. Try out my detailed recipe.

Course Sweet Pastry

Cuisine Czech

Keyword czech kolache, Sweet Yeast Dough

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 17

1 30

Total Time 2 17

Servings pieces

Calories 243kcal

Author Petra Kupská

Equipment

large baking sheet about 16x14 inches (40x36 cm)

Ingredients

Yeast starter:

⅓ cup lukewarm milk 110-115°F/42°C
2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon granulated sugar

Kolache yeast dough:

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick unsalted butter softened at room temperature
1 cup lukewarm milk 110-115°F/42°C
2 yolk
⅓ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt

Farmers cheese filling:

18 ounces farmers cheese
2 yolks
1 ½ Tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅔ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup raisins optional

Crumbled topping:

⅓ stick unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

Cups - Metric

Instructions

Yeast dough: First, activate the yeast. Pour ⅓ cup lukewarm milk into a cup. Stir in 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon granulated sugar, and 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast. Let it sit in a warm place for about 10–15 minutes until foam with bubbles appears on the surface.
Pour 4 cups all-purpose flour into a mixing bowl. Add 2 yolk, 1 cup lukewarm milk, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, and activated yeast.
Place the mixing bowl in the kitchen stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and knead on medium speed for about two minutes. Turn off the mixer and add 1 stick unsalted butter (softened), cut into small pieces, and ¼ teaspoon salt to the bowl. Turn the mixer back on and knead at medium speed for 8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Remove the dough from the hook, shape it into a ball, and place it in a sufficiently large, clean bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until the dough doubles in size. Depending on the surrounding conditions, this usually takes about one to two hours.
Farmers cheese filling: Meanwhile, prepare the kolache filling with the farmer's cheese (Czech Tvaroh cheese). Place 18 ounces farmers cheese in a bowl with 2 yolks, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 ½ Tablespoons cornstarch. If you like, add ⅓ cup raisins. Is the farmer's cheese too dry, add a tablespoon or two of milk. Stir until combined. The kolache filling should have a firmer, paste-like consistency.
Crumbly topping: Next, prepare the crumble topping (Czech Drobenka or Posypka). Put 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, ⅓ stick unsalted butter into pieces, and 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar into a bowl. Work with your fingers until you get a crumbly mass.
Finishing: Turn the proofed dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Briefly knead the dough by hand, then divide into two equal halves. Roll each half into a square or rectangle. Cut the rolled-out dough into squares about 3 inches (8 cm) on each side.
Place a tablespoon of the farmer's cheese filling in the middle of each square. Fold the opposite ends of the dough over the filling and press them together. Try to make sure the ends are folded over each other enough. Press well to seal. If you underestimate this step, the kolache may untied during proofing or later when baked in the oven.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and carefully transfer the kolache to it. Leave a space of at least 1 1⁄2 inches (4 cm) around the kolache as they will puff up during baking.
Cover the kolache with a clean tea towel and let them rise in a warm place for another 30 minutes. If the tied kolache come apart, carefully try to bring the ends back together and press firmly.
Use your finger to gently press down on the seam and make a shallow indentation in the center of each kolach. Now, brush the kolache with the remaining egg whites from preparing the yeast dough. Finally, sprinkle the crumble topping over the indentation.
Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Bake for about 17 minutes on a rack in the center of the oven. The kolache will be golden brown on top. Once baked, transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and allow the kolache to cool.

Notes

The basic recipe makes 18 pieces, each about 4 inches (10-11 cm).
Serving: Czechs eat this type of kolache pastry most often for breakfast or as a sweet snack. Arrange the tied kolache on a tray and offer them to guests at celebrations, parties, and other gatherings.
Tip on cheese filling: Do not put the cheese filling in the refrigerator when made; leave it on the kitchen counter. The filling will warm to room temperature before the dough is raised. If the filling were too cold, the cakes would not bake evenly.
The biggest challenge in making tied kolaches is keeping them closed. Occasionally, the ends of the dough that are folded over the filling will untied during rising or baking. To prevent this, allow enough time for the dough to rise and press the ends of the dough firmly when folding.
Apart from the farmer's cheese filling, these kolache pastries can also be filled with poppy seed filling. Fruit fillings can be tricky since they have a tendency to ooze out during baking.
My secret tip for making the cakes even better is to drizzle a mixture of melted unsalted butter and rum (e.g., Austrian Stroh 54 or Kirkland spiced rum from Costco) right out of the oven!

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