Kolaches & Klobasniky and Jiternice Sausage

Kolaches are a slightly sweetened yeast pastry with thickened fruit fillings (and/or cheese) placed inside a depression.  Klobasniky are made with the same pastry but jiternice sausage is wrapped up and blanketed inside.  Klobasniky may be made with or  without poppy seed sprinkles on top.  There is also a Chocolate Kolache in which dark chocolate is wrapped up and blanketed inside the pastry dough.

I grew up close to West, Texas where many Czech bakeries produced these fresh daily —  but currently live across country in Idaho — and when I tried to find them upon first moving here many years ago, nobody even knew what I was talking about.   Now the only way I can have them is to make them at home.  However, they can be made ahead in much larger batches and frozen.

 

Kolache Dough

1 c. sour cream

1/2 c. sugar

1- 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened

2 pkgs. (5 tsp) fast acting yeast

1/2 c. warm water

1 Tbsp honey

2 eggs, beaten

4 c. flour (maybe more)

Choice of: fruit filling and streusel crumb topping, cheese,  jiternice sausage, or dark chocolate

1/3 c. additional unsalted butter, melted

Sprinkle yeast over warm water with honey; let stand 5 minutes.

Heat sour cream just until warm and pour into large mixing bowl.

Add yeast to sour cream.

Stir in sugar, salt, and softened butter; set aside to cool.

Add eggs and flour, and mix well (dough does not need kneading).

If necessary, work in enough additional flour to make dough spongy but not sticky.

Put dough in a large, greased bowl; cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Remove dough from refrigerator.

Shape into balls about 2 inches in diameter, and place on lightly greased baking sheets about an inch apart.

Flatten balls to 1/2-inch, and let rise for about 10 minutes.

For Kolaches:

Make indentations in the middle of each kolache by pressing down firmly with the first two fingers of both hands.

Spoon about 1 T. fruit filling into each indentation.

Note:  The most traditional and commonly used fruit fillings are prune and apricot filling —  but any fruit filling is good.  See below for recipes.

Spoon about 1/2 tsp. streusel crumb topping over filling.  (Recipe below)

Optionally:  Fill with soft cheese or cream cheese.  Or,  spoon in 1 tsp cream cheese and 2 tsp fruit filling.

Cover loosely with a sheet of wax paper, and let rise until double in bulk.

Remove wax paper, and bake in preheated 350 F degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until light tan.

Remove from oven, and brush top edges and sides of kolaches with melted butter.

Yield: About 2 dozen kolaches.

Chocolate Kolache version:  Instead of making depressions to fill, place a few chunks of dark chocolate in the center of the dough and wrap it up inside.  Press and mold the dough around the chocolate until even and smooth on all sides and on the ends — forming a sort of small Twinky or hot dog bun shape.  Allow to rise and bake as previously directed.

For Klobasniky:  

Remove dough from refrigerator.

Shape into balls about 3 inches in diameter, and place on lightly greased baking sheets about an inch apart.

Flatten and stretch balls into 1/2-inch thick ovals (long enough and wide to accommodate the sausage log or link,  but may also cut sausages shorter if required when time to do so) and let rise for about 10 minutes.

Take a portion of the dough in the palm of hand and place a sausage in the center and fold the dough around it.  Press and mold until sausage is covered evenly and smoothly with dough on all sides and ends forming a sort of Twinky or hot dog bun shape.  Dough should be half the desired thickness and completely encase the sausage.  Try not to overwork the dough when shaping.

Optionally:  Place a thin strip of cheese or spread a thin layer of cream or other soft cheese in the center of the dough and place a (fully cooled, pre-cooked) jiternice sausage log or link on top of the cheese before wrapping.

Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds if desired.  Gently press to make stick as needed.

Note:

An egg wash may be used if desired prior to sprinkling with sesame seeds but only lightly wash the top center area where the seeds will be lightly sprinkled.   Whisk the whites only of 1 egg with 1 teaspoon milk.  Dip pastry into wash and scrape along sides of dish to remove excess before very lightly brushing top center of pastry.  Sprinkle lightly with sesame seeds immediately after brushing wash on because the wash dries quickly.

Cover klobasniky loosely with a sheet of wax paper, and let rise until double in bulk. Remove wax paper, and bake in 350 F degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until light tan.

 

Jiternice sausage:

1-1/2 to 2 lb ground pork
1 medium white or yellow onion
1 to 3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp allspice

Saute onion and garlic. When cool put onion and garlic and other seasoning in food processor and blend well.

Add ground pork about 1/4 pound at a time and process after each addition until well blended.

Place a teaspoon in a hot lightly spray oiled skillet to brown. Taste test and adjust any seasonings to taste. Repeat as needed.

Form sausage into approximately 4 to 4-1/2 inch long and 1-1/2 inch diameter thick logs and roll up smoothly and snugly in foil. Leave enough foil on each end to fold over and pinch sealed without mashing ends of sausage log. Place on baking sheet and bake in preheated 425 F degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes. (They will be small so do not long to bake). Allow to sit for 10 minutes before opening packets. Leave sitting to fully cool before using.

Note: If desired, you can stuff into prepared casings, bring a pot of water to boil, coil the links into the boiling water,  and boil the sausage links for ten minutes instead of baking.  Remove, separate by cutting in the center of the twists, and allow to cool completely.

Unused sausage, if any, should be refrigerated up to 5 days or well wrapped and placed in airtight container to prevent freezer burn and frozen until ready to use.

 

For more information on preparing and stuffing casings:

 

Hot Dog Franks

 

Kolache Streusel Crumb topping:

2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
about 1/3 c. melted butter

Blend flour and sugar in a bowl.

Add just enough melted butter to moisten dry ingredients (mixture will be crumbly); mix well.

Yield:  Enough topping for about 2 dozen kolaches.

 

Prune Filling:

12 ounce package dried prunes

1  cup sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon, or to taste

Cover prunes with water and boil for 15 minutes.

Drain and place in food processor with remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

Spoon the mixture into pastries.  Add 1/2 tsp streusel crumb topping over filling.  Bake as directed.

 

Apricot Filling:

12 to 20 ounces dried apricots, diced

1-1/2 to 2 cups sugar

Cover apricots with water and boil for 15 minutes.

Drain and place in food processor with remaining sugar and blend until smooth.

Spoon the mixture into pastries.  Add 1/2 tsp streusel crumb topping over filling.  Bake as directed.

 

Cherry Filling:

12 to 16 ounces dried cherries

10 maraschino cherries

3/4 to 1 cup sugar

Cover dried cherries in water and boil 15 minutes.  Drain and place in food processor with remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

Spoon the mixture into pastries.  Add 1/2 tsp streusel crumb topping over filling.  Bake as directed.

 

Apple Filling:

3 cups apples, peeled, cored, finely minced

1/4 cup pure apple juice or cider

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp allspice

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 tsp lemon juice, optional

1/16 tsp (a pinch) salt

Mix altogether in saucepan and bring to boil stirring constantly.  Reduce heat and simmer until apple bits are tender and mixture is thickened.

Spoon the mixture into pastries.  Add 1/2 tsp streusel crumb topping over filling.  Bake as directed.

 

Pear Filling:

Identical to apple filling except use pears and pear juice.

If using a very firm pear variety that is difficult to mince,  peel and boil whole in just water until tender, drain, then when cool enough to handle remove stone (seed, pit).

Place pears in food processor to blend until smooth.

Heat in saucepan with remaining ingredients until bubbly and thickened stirring constantly.

If needed, add 1 to 3 tablespoons cornstarch OR one (1/4 ounce) packet of unflavored gelatin to thicken the liquid.

Spoon the mixture into pastries.  Add 1/2 tsp streusel crumb topping over filling.  Bake as directed.

 

Peach Filling:

3 to 4 cups peaches, peeled and pitted, finely minced

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/16 (a pinch) ground clove, optional

1/4 to 1/3 cup brown sugar

1 to 3 Tablespoons corn starch  OR 1 (1/4 ounce) packet of unflavored gelatin

Mix all ingredients together and simmer in saucepan until peaches are tender and juices have thickened.

Spoon the mixture into pastries.  Add 1/2 tsp streusel crumb topping over filling.  Bake as directed.

 

LEMON FILLINGS:

NOTE:

For the following lemon fillings, if you wish to use the crumb topping you will need to line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread streusel crumb topping out on it.  Bake in preheated 350 F degree oven for 5 to 9 minutes.   Set aside to cool.

Prepare the fillings as directed.  Set aside.

Then pre-bake the kolaches without any filling.

Fill the kolaches while still warm from the oven then add the crumb topping.

 

Lemon Curd Filling:

 

4 lemons, at room temperature

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1/8 teaspoon salt

 

Remove the zest of the lemons with a vegetable peeler or zester, being careful to avoid the white pith.

Squeeze the lemons to make 1/2 cup of juice and set the juice aside. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with a steel blade.

Add the sugar and process for 2 to 3 minutes, until the zest is very finely minced.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugar and lemon zest.

Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt.

Mix until combined.

Pour the mixture into a 2-quart saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Pre-bake the Kolaches before filling.  If needed, you can use the back of a dinner spoon — if depressions disappear (and are no longer deep enough) during baking — to press down and deepen the well.

Spoon the mixture into still hot baked pastries.  Optional: Add 1/2 tsp streusel crumb topping over filling.

Allow to cool at room temperature until set.

 

Lemon Jelly Filling:

1 packet (1/4 ounce) packet unflavored gelatin
1- 1/2 cups warm water
2 egg yolks
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice

In a medium bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the warm water and let it sit for a few minutes to soften. Beat the egg yolks in another small bowl and set aside.

In a medium saucepan combine the sugar and cornstarch, then gradually whisk in the water and gelatin.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and boils.

Continue to boil while stirring for about 60 to 90 seconds, then remove from heat and very slowly pour a little into the egg yolks while whisking vigorously.

Then gradually add back into the gelatin mixture while whisking vigorously.

If it breaks (the eggs cook and clump) discard and begin again.

Return to the heat and simmer for about a minute constantly stirring.

Remove from the heat and beat in butter and lemon juice until smooth.

Pre-bake the Kolaches before filling.  If needed, you can use the back of a dinner spoon — if depressions disappear slightly  (and are no longer deep enough) during baking  — to press down and deepen the well.

Spoon the mixture into still hot baked pastries.  Optional:  Add 1/2 tsp streusel crumb topping over filling.

Allow to cool at room temperature until set.