So here’s Beckie’s recipe for kolaches, via Grandmommy Becan. I had to leave a few things out for space, which I’ll cover here – if you want to make klobasneky instead of kolache, it’s the same recipe for the dough. Just wrap it around your favorite meat instead of rolling it out into circles, and place them seam-down on the baking sheet. What else? Oh, Beckie sent me her version of our grandmother’s recipe, but she also sent me a variation that tastes a bit more like the donut shop version – it’s not as authentic, she says, but it’s just as delicious, but I’m tempted to just leave it at Grandmommy’s recipe and call it a day. Also, this recipe makes about 48 kolaches, she says.
Did I forget anything, Beckie? :)
NEXT UP: fillings!! Possibly the best part of the kolache!
I have to ask: is your family Czechoslovakian originally? Or is it just because you used to live in an area with a lot of that culture? I feel like you’ve talk about Czech food a couple times, and it’s a dish that sounds like it tastes awesome and also something I’ve never heard of. I can’t wait to hear about the fillings.
@Elaine: yep! on my dad’s side, we’re mostly Czech. Our last name used to have a hacek over the c, so it was pronounced more like “bech-ahn”.
Mmm, yum! I love it when recipes are nice on the eyes as well as the stomach. :)
Is the butter supposed to be cold or room temp? I only ask because I know that with pie dough it’s really important that it be cold.
Sara: I actually JUST emailed Beckie that question. :D I’ll let you know in a moment – also, she wanted to say that she doesn’t roll out the dough with a rolling pin, she forms her kolache disks by hand.
Okay guys – all the recipes I’ve cross-referenced so far have said the butter should be MELTED. Not softened, not cold, melted. Sorry for the confusion! (also you can reserve a little of the melted butter to brush on top the kolaches before baking!
Update again! Beckie says she normally just softens the butter, but melting it works well too! I mean, if we have to make two batches of kolaches and taste them both, well, that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.
Making these now! Do they store well (ie; can you freeze them like cookies or piecrust?) cause 50 is a lot of pastries! If not I’ll have to feed them to a lot of friends!
I wish I had read about these sooner! They would have been perfect for my history class’s end of the year party (we all had to make a traditional European dish). Still, they look so good, I think I’m going to have to try them on my own. :) Tell your sister thanks for the recipe, and thanks to you for putting it online!
These sound amazing! Are spices (like cinnamon or nutmeg) ever used in the dough? I’ve been teaching myself a variety of pastries—more of the breakfast variety—and sharing on my blog. Would it be ok if I tried your family recipe and wrote about it? I’d post back to your original comic with the recipe and credit you, of course! Just let me know :)
@Mel: Of course!! That would be awesome!