Elsie Hronek's Kolaches

Rick Young's Note:

This is a traditional Bohemian pastry recipe handed down from my wife's much beloved Bohemian grandmother who took joy in watching her family eat. It seems like it isn't a real family get-together without kolaches and it also seems like there are never enough made. If you don't like prunes, any fruit filling will work very, very well.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 24 kolaches

• ½ cup water
• 1 ½ cups milk , scalded
• 2 packages yeast
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup butter
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 egg yolks , beaten
• 5 cups flour
• 1 package prune
• sugar
• cinnamon

Directions:

1. ---ToPrepare Prune Topping---.
2. Cook prunes in water until soft.
3. Beat until well mashaed.
4. Add sugar and cinnamon to taste.
5. Set aside and allow to cool.
6. ---Kolaches---.
7. Put yeast in 1/2 cup warm water with 1 tsp sugar.
8. Scald 1 1/2 cup milk.
9. Add 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, and 2 tsp salt to scalded milk in large bowl Beat in 2 cups flour.
10. Add beaten egg yolks and remaining 3 cups flour.
11. Put on flat surface and knead.
12. Put in greased, large bowl and let rise until doubled in size.
13. Make into large walnut-size balls and place on greased cookie sheet.
14. Dip finger in melted buter and make a'well' in top surface of the balls.
15. Fill with prune filling and let set for approx 10 minutes.
16. Bake in 375 degree oven for approx 15 minutes.
17. Remove from oven and brush bread surface with more butter.
18. Optional: Sprinkle top with coconut.

Reviews

[Kevin Young]

I have not yet made these, but was lucky enough to have them made by my grandmother herself. As kids I think we snuck half a dozen or so before any meal. She always made them with prunes (and we loved them), but they'd be good with any fruit filling. If you've never had a kolache, they're great!

[Dienia B.]

my dh is czech and his mom makes these she uses solo brand filling for the fruit it comes in different flavoring like poppyseed and apricot and cherry thank you for posting this dee