Genuine Tex-Czech Kolaches

 Obviously, Texas is pretty well known for its take on Mexican food.

But, someone who has never visited the state may not know that we've also adapted a traditional Czech pastry and made it our own.

They may or may not bear much resemblance to the original koláček, but Texans will get up in arms over the poor imitations put out by national chains (not naming any names).

Before we get into the recipe, a quick grammar lesson. The multitude of small, fruit-filled buns we call "kolaches," would actually be referred to in Czech as koláčky (kolachky), the plural of koláček (kolachek)--which signifies an individual size pastry. A true koláč (kolach, pluralized koláče/kolache) is a cake-sized version of the common "kolache." But seriously, nobody will really care if you call them kolaches.

(I got all of this info from The History Kitchen, so blame them for any mistranslations ;) )

I was fortunate enough to have my Grandma (daughter of Czech immigrants) to help me with the kolaches, so they have that authentic touch.

The recipe below is from the West Heritage Cookbook, originally compiled for the 1986 Texas sesquicentennial (150th anniversary, there's some SAT vocabulary). Unfortunately I couldn't find a link online to order it, but it should be available at the annual Westfest.

Kolaches, recipe by Georgia Montgomery of the excellent Village Bakery

Makes approx. two dozen kolaches

For the rolls:

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 3/4 to 4 1/4 all-purpose flour

2 eggs

1 recipe apricot filling (below, make ahead or while dough rises)

  

1. In a bowl, add yeast to water, stirring to dissolve yeast. In a saucepan heat milk, butter or margarine, sugar, and salt to just warm (115 to 120 degrees), stirring til butter almost melts.
2. In a large mixing bowl stir together 2 cups of the flour and beat in the milk mixture. Add softened yeast and eggs, beat well.
3. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can mix with a spoon. Turn out lightly onto floured surface. Knead in as much of the remaining flour as necessary to make a moderately soft dough. Continue kneading til smooth and elastic, 5 minutes. Shape into a ball. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface.
4. Cover; let rise til double, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Punch down; turn out lightly onto floured surface. Divide dough in two portions. Cover, let rest 10 minutes.
5. Divide and shape each half into 9 balls. Place 3 inches apart on greased baking sheets.
6. Flatten each of the balls into a 3-inch circle. Cover; let rise in warm place til double, about 45 minutes.
7. With your fingers, make a depression in the center of each.
8. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of apricot filling evenly into each depression.
9. Bake in 375 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes or til golden brown. Remove pastries to wire rack, cool completely.

kneading the dough

dividing the dough to to shape the rolls

making the depression for the filling

For the filling:

2 cups coarsely snipped dried apricots

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Enough water to cover apricots in saucepan

1. In a saucepan combine dried apricots and enough water to come 1 inch above apricots.
2. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes; drain.
3. Stir in sugar, butter, and nutmeg. Cool.

We also included a somewhat-improvised posypka (struesel) topping, though we all agreed that the consistency wasn't quite right. If you're keen to try it, these are a few recipes that look promising: one, two, three.