Peach-Filled Kolache

in Bread, Breakfast, Fruit, Pastry, Peaches and apricots, Project Pastry Queen

If there’s ever any doubt if the person sitting next to you in a cooking class is a food blogger…

Brunch with The Pastry Queen

Ashley, the woman behind Delish, and I met up for “Brunch with The Pastry Queen” at Central Market in Austin. The Pastry Queen is my favorite cookbook. I’ve mentioned more than once how it’s one of the few cookbooks that I like to sit down with and read cover-to-cover like a “real” book. A 10am class in Austin? So what’s a 2.5 hour drive. With a 4-month old. When there are two kinds of kolache on the menu.

Fluffy Biscuits with Peach ButterBananas Foster Bread PuddingPeach Kolache Sausage & Cheese Kolache

The royally delicious menu included:

I think it probably goes without saying but I thoroughly enjoyed the class. And I have already secured my spot in Rebecca Rather’s Central Market-Houston appearance next month: Peach Treats from The Hill Country. More peaches! I also was inspired to go back through the book (again!) and drool over all the recipes that I haven’t yet made and came to a quick conclusion: I need to make every single recipe at least once. And the first recipe of the project: Kolache.

Fresh Peach Kolache

Kolache are wonderful Czech eats: sweet pastry dough topped with sweet or savory concoctions that can range from poppy seeds and cream cheese to scrambled eggs and sausage to fresh pineapple and peaches. Life is not complete until you’ve had one… or seven. Around here, we eat them for breakfast.

I invited Ashley to join me in cooking the book, one recipe a week. Next week’s recipe: Fried Pies! If you’re interested in joining us for Project Pastry Queen, please check out Project Pastry Queen!

Peach-Filled Kolache

A perfect Czech/central Texas kolache dough filled with peaches and peach preserves.

Ingredients

  • For the Dough:
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup water, warmed to 110-115F
  • 1 cup milk, warmed to 110-115F
  • 4 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled to warm
  • 3 large eggs (1 for egg wash)
  • 5/8 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 3/4 cups flour
  • For the Peach Filling:
  • 2 peaches
  • 1/3 cup high-quality peach preserves/jam
  • For the Streusel Topping (Posypka):
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions

  1. Sprinkle the yeast over warm water in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let proof for 5 minutes, until foamy/creamy.
  2. Turn the mixer to low and add the milk, melted butter, 2 eggs, sugar, and salt until mixed thoroughly.
  3. Add the flour in two batches and mix only until just combined. The dough will be wet and sticky.
  4. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 1-2 hours, until dough has doubled.
  5. Punch down dough and refrigerate covered overnight or for at least 4 hours.
  6. Divide dough into 2.5 inch balls (I weighed mine at 2.5 oz each).
  7. Place 4-across on a lined or greased baking sheet. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
  8. Using your fingers, make an impression in the center of the ball and stretch out into a round, creating a well to hold your filling.
  9. The edges of the kolache should just touch on the pan. Cover while making the filling and posypka.
  10. Pit and chop (but do not peel) peaches into 1/4-inch cubes.
  11. Mix with preserves (I heated the peach jam on the stove top first to make it more coat-able) until well-coated.
  12. Pulse the flour, sugar, and butter in your food processor until crumbly. You can also use your fingers, a pastry cutter, or a similar contraption. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  13. To assemble, place a heaping spoonful of peach filling onto each dough round. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes, while preheating oven to 375.
  14. Sprinkle the posypka over the kolache. Whisk the remaining egg with a tablespoon of water and brush over the sides of the kolache.
  15. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until browned. Let the kolache cool for 20 minutes and serve. Leftovers will keep tightly wrapped in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Notes

Yields: ~14 kolache

Adapted from The Pastry Queen

Estimated time: 8 hours

Nutritional Information
With Posypka:
Calories: 247.7| Fat: 5.9 | Fiber 1.7
WW Points: 5
Without Posypka:
Calories: 212.2| Fat: 4.2 | Fiber 1.7
WW Points: 4

27 comments… add one
  • all that hard work for only to be devoured in a mere minute—right? lol

  • Sarah

    How do you get such gorgeous pictures? Your blog makes me super hungry. I love that pastry brunch idea! We never do brunch here. I love your blog!

  • What a great experience! Baking through the book sounds like a fantastic idea…which means I need to buy the book…which reminds me that I’m two weeks late in sending a 3 year a book from a book exchange chain letter…*sigh*

    Have fun!

  • This sounds like such a fun cookbook to cook through! I’m going to have to Amazon Wishlist it. These kolache (what a fun name!) look delicious.

  • I live in Austin! I wish I could have known about this event. Awww… I’m so glad you had fun. Your kolaches look perfect. I would have halved this recipe, too.

  • Looks like the most delicious breakfast ever!

  • THANK YOU. I’m sick of people saying around here that pigs in a blanket are “kolaches.” They’re NOT.

    I grew up traveling all around Texas with my family, and when I think kolache, I think this hole-in-the-wall, side-of-the-highway-at-a-gas-station bakery in the Czech town of West, Texas that served real honest-to-goodness kolaches.

  • Ooh, these look awesome! I may have to try to make a cream cheese variety (which are my favorite kind!).

  • YUM! It all looks amazing, thanks for sharing! I’m a few hours from Austin too, wish I’d known about it! But maybe I can go to the upcoming Houston event… : )

  • Oh my goodness….WHAT is that in the cup? The bread pudding?

    This isn’t right. Unfair. I didn’t even get to read the post.

    And then I see the kolache. Very interesting! Must try that soon! All these pictures are wonderful!

  • Amanda

    Ugggh…you’re killing me here! I haven’t had a kolache since I left Texas, and that is tragic! Maybe I’ll have to work up the nerve to make my own.

  • Sounds like such a fun time! I’ve never had kolache but those sound especially delicious with the fresh peaches. Looking forward to more delicious goodies from you and Ashley!

  • Erica

    And I love you. You did a wonderful job! They look just like my grandmothers. I’m so proud of you. If you need a taste tester next time let me know. They look so delicious!
    PS Thanks for informing everyone what a real kolcahe is =)

  • Freddie

    I would love the recipe for Bananas Foster Bread Pudding. Do you have it? I agree the kolache looks good and I have never had it before but I will try and make it.

  • Now that’s what I call a brunch menu – Amazing! You’re one lucky girl. Thanks for bringing back a recipe for us… it looks divine!

  • The hubster and I have planned a trip to West, apparently the kolache capital of Texas, because we have heard so much about kolaches but have never had them! Your post makes me realize we need to make that happen soon because I want me a kolache! 🙂

  • Denise

    To all the TPQ followers, she does have 2 other cookbooks that you can join in on the “Project Pastry Queen”….. They are Pastry Queen Parties and The Pastry Queen Christmas….. I have all 3 and they are amazing….

    I would love to get in on the “Project Pastry Queen”

  • lemreg

    I can’t wait to try these with my students during our cultural foods unit, they are going to love them. And now you have convinced me to go out and buy this cookbook!

  • I was looking for a sausage kolache recipe and came across yours, but there’s only the peach recipe. Am I missing it somewhere? I’d love to make them this weekend for my husband! :o)

    • Jodi – make the dough as directed, ignoring directions for the posypka & peach filling. Divide the dough into ~2.5 inch balls, flatten them out on a lightly-floured surface, top with a couple pinches of shredded cheddar, and then wrap the dough around your favorite sausage links. Pinch to seal well and place them on a baking sheet seam-down. If you’re using the smaller breakfast links, you have to do nothing. If you’re using the larger smoked sausage links, cut them into 3-4 inch sections and maybe even in half lengthwise if they’re very thick. Cover and let rise while the oven is preheating and then bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown

  • Karen

    I’m going to have to make these, maybe tonight. We’ll see how many make it to breakfast. I read the comment from Freddie above, and would also love a recipe for Bananas Foster Bread Pudding. Maybe for tomorrow night? Or some night soon? Forget about breakfast! Life is short!

  • Hi! Can you tell me please what kind of All purpose flour it is? …bleached or unbleached …King Arthur Flour??? Sorry about my English, I am not american.
    Thank you very much! Mirka M.

    • I usually buy unbleached but it really won’t make any difference to use bleached.

      • Mirka M.

        Thank you Shawnda!

  • Nonna

    This recipe is just fantastic! After a trip to visit the painted churches around Schulenburg and not stopping for kolaches, I was really craving them. Although I live in Texas, I decided to try your recipe and make my own kolaches. OMG!! I am so in love with these kolaches! I’ve made the recipe twice now, each time with different fillings, and I am so impressed. This dough is like magic! It just rises and rises, and then rises more once put into the oven. My friends and neighbors are equally impressed. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.

  • Connie Wagaman frazer

    I made this for family and friends.Its was fantastic. It will be a Christmas Center Piece. Every one Loved it. Thank you..

  • Marcia

    Finally, I found these wonderfully delicious Kolache. I’m from Texas and have been in Virginia for 15 years. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes with us.

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