These bakery-style kolaches are so easy you can actually pull them off in your kitchen! Light puffs of sweet, buttery dough filled with your favorite fruit fillings just like you'd find in bakeries all over West, Texas. They are best eaten warm the day they are made.
Add the yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and ginger to ¼ cup warm milk and set aside.
Put the remaining milk and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until the butter melts.
Let cool to 110F. It should feel comfortably warm to when you drop a few drops on your wrist.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment combine 2 cups of the flour with the salt, sugar, and potato flakes.
Add the yeast mixture and the cooled milk mixture and stir until blended.
Add the egg and blend it in.
Add another ⅓ cup of flour. The dough will be sticky.
Switch to the dough hook.
Add flour a tablespoon or two at a time until the dough doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl.
Knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. It will still be a little sticky especially on the bottom.
Remove from the mixer bowl and form into a ball.
Rub the ball with melted butter then place it in a greased bowl.
Turn the ball over once.
Cover the bowl loosely with a clean tea towel.
Let it rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.
Punch dough down.
Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces
Roll into balls and arrange them 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
Brush with butter, cover loosely with tea towels or plastic wrap, and let rise for 1 hour.
Make indentations in the buns and fill with cheese mixture or fruit filling.
Sprinkle with crumb mixture.
Bake at 425F for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Watch carefully.
Crumb Topping (Posipka)
Combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon.
Stir in the melted butter until the mixture forms crumbs.
Notes
Storage:Texas kolaches are best eaten fresh - as soon as possible after they are made and definitely the day they are made. If you do hold them until the next day cover tightly and refrigerate.You can put them in an airtight container and freeze them for longer storage of up to 3 months.Tips:
All-purpose flour can be substituted for bread flour
Use an insta-read thermometer to ensure your liquids aren't too hot or too cold.
Using too much flour or overworking the dough will make them tough.