How to Make Czechoslovakian Kolace

Often referred to as the Bohemian bun, Koláče is perhaps the most famous food to have originated in Czechoslovakia.

There's a great deal of speculation as to how this sweet treat was first introduced, but the most common tale tells of an old-world baker who accidentally poured sugar into bread dough. When he baked it and discovered his mistake, he smeared povidla (prune jam) on the bread and served it to his children. The children loved the Koláče so much, they begged their father to bake them more and more, until the whole village was filled with the delicious smell and the villagers came to enjoy the sweet dough.

Whatever the origin, you can't beat the taste and smell of freshly baked Koláče!

Making Koláče requires a little time and patience, but you'll appreciate the reward at the end. If you are making Koláče for a special event or holiday, the Koláčky (plural of Koláče, meaning multiple Koláče) may be shaped and refrigerated a day ahead of time to then bake the next day.

Koláče Dough Recipe

Ingredients:

6 Cups of Flour

1 Cup of Milk (Warmed)

¼ Cup of Oil

2 Tablespoons of Butter

½ Cup of Sugar

1 Teaspoon of Salt

2 Packages of Yeast

2/3 Cups of Warm Water

2 Eggs

¼ Cup of Lemon Rind

1/8 Teaspoon of Mace

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, soften yeast in 2/3 cups of warm water.

Beat eggs until fully mixed. Add eggs, lemon rind, and mace to yeast.

Combine milk, oil, butter, sugar, and salt in a separate mixing bowl until thoroughly mixed. Add combined mixture to yeast mixture. Slowly add in flour, mixing well.

Allow dough to rise in mixing bowl, approximately twenty-five minutes.

Spoon out dough onto a floured bread board or a clean, flat, floured counter surface. Roll dough into small balls about two to three inches in diameter. Flatten dough ball and form into a two to three inch square shape.

Add a spoonful of desired filling (prune, cream cheese, apricot, and so on) to the center of the dough square, then close dough over filling by pulling up the four corners of the square to meet in the center. Close the dough so that filling is almost completely enclosed in the dough (leave only a small slit for filling to peek through the top of the dough, if desired.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While oven is pre-heating, allow filled dough to rise until doubled in size.

Bake on a greased baking pan at 350 degrees for twenty-five minutes.

Remove from oven, cool on a baker's rack. Serve warm or when completely cooled, and enjoy!

Refrigerate any unused Koláče. Warm in microwave, if desired after refrigeration.

This recipe makes 4 to 5 dozen Koláčky.

Note: See compliment article by Barb Webb, entitled How to Make Czechoslovakian Kolace Fillings for additional ideas.