Czech Kolaches with Poppy Seed and Plum

Name: Czech Kolaches with Poppy Seed and Plum
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 24 servings
Cuisine: Czech
Ingredients: For the dough: 1 cup warm milk (about 110°F); 2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) instant yeast; 1/3 cup sugar; 2 large egg yolks plus 1 whole egg; 6 tbsp butter, melted; 1 tsp lemon zest; 4 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp salt; For the poppy seed filling: 1 cup ground poppy seeds; 3/4 cup milk; 1/3 cup sugar; 1 tbsp butter; 1/2 tsp vanilla; For the plum filling: 1 cup thick plum butter (powidl) or prune jam; For the streusel (posypka): 1/2 cup flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 3 tbsp cold butter; 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk, for brushing

Soft, buttery yeast buns with a hollow in the middle filled with sweet poppy seed or plum jam and topped with a crumbly streusel. A Czech favorite that Texas bakeries made famous.

Prep45 min

Cook20 min

Total1 hr 5 min

Serves24

What you'll need

Nonstick baking sheetsFor roasting and baking

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Mixing bowl setFor mixing and marinating

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Silicone baking matsFor no-stick baking

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Ingredients

For the dough: 1 cup warm milk (about 110°F)

2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) instant yeast

1/3 cup sugar

2 large egg yolks plus 1 whole egg

6 tbsp butter, melted

1 tsp lemon zest

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

For the poppy seed filling: 1 cup ground poppy seeds

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup sugar

1 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

For the plum filling: 1 cup thick plum butter (powidl) or prune jam

For the streusel (posypka): 1/2 cup flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 3 tbsp cold butter

1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk, for brushing

Steps

Mix the milk, yeast, sugar, yolks, egg, melted butter and zest. Add the flour and salt and knead 6 to 8 minutes into a soft, slightly sticky dough. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

For the poppy seed filling, simmer the poppy seeds, milk, sugar and butter, stirring, until thick, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and cool. Rub the streusel ingredients together into crumbs.

Divide the dough into 24 balls and set 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets. Cover and let rise 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 375°F. Press a deep well into the center of each bun with your fingers or the bottom of a small glass, leaving a thick rim.

Brush the rims with egg wash, fill each well with a heaping spoonful of poppy seed or plum filling and sprinkle with streusel.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until golden. Cool on a rack and serve the same day.

TipPress the wells right before filling, after the second rise; if you press them earlier the buns puff back up and push the filling out.