Pogacsa (Hungarian Cheese Biscuits)

These pogacsa, Hungarian for “biscuit,” are perfect for parties. You may either add the following in the dough, sprinkled on top before baking, or both - finely shredded medium-firm fresh cheeses and aged dry hard cheeses, chopped pork crackling, minced cabbage, black pepper, hot or sweet paprika, minced garlic, minced red onion, caraway seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds or poppy seeds.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Yields: 5 dozen

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup  whole milk, heated to 110 degrees F to 115 degrees F
• 2  teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
• 4  cups all-purpose flour
• 5  ounces gruyere cheese, finely shredded
• 1  tablespoon salt
• 2  eggs
• 14  tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1 3/4 American sticks)
• 1⁄2 cup sour cream

• Topping

• 1  egg yolk
• 2  ounces gruyere cheese, finely shredded

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine milk, yeast and sugar and let stand until yeast is softened, about 10 minutes.
2. Add flour, cheese, salt, eggs, butter, and sour cream to the yeast mixture. Using an electric mixer, mix on low speed until dough comes together. Beat on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes. The dough should be smooth and not sticky.
3. Roll dough 1/2 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Make a shallow cross-hatched pattern with the point of a sharp knife over the top of the dough and brush with egg yolk. Sprinkle cheese on top, and cut out rounds with a 1 to 1 1/2 inch cutter.
4. Arrange circles in rows on a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 1/4 inch apart. Put pan in a cold oven and set temperature to 400 degrees F. Bake about 25 minutes, until pogacsa are nicely browned on their tops and bottoms. Let cool completely and store airtight.
5. Pogacsa may also be frozen up to 1 month. Thaw and reheat at 225 degrees F for 20 minutes.