Jam-filled pastry gives taste of Europe

Christmas kolaches

Kolaches are a simple fruitfilled pastry. They are one of my husband’s favorite foods from both his childhood and his Czech heritage. Made with a simple yeast dough and a filling made from dried fruit, they taste like a much less sweet version of a classic breakfast pastry. You can make the entire recipe the night before you plan to serve them, although honestly, they are best fresh out of the oven. (The dough also makes fantastic rolls.)

This is my mother-in-law’s recipe, which may or may not be authentically Czech, but it’s authentic to our family. And while she makes her own filling from dried fruit, I’ve found it’s easier (and just as delicious) to use pre-made jam. We like apricot and strawberry best. Prep: 50 minutes Rise: 1 hour 18 to 20 minutes about 16 pastries packet active dry yeast tablespoons warm water tablespoons sugar cup whole milk tablespoons cold unsalted butter teaspoon fine salt cups flour large egg, lightly beaten cup jam Stir the yeast, water and sugar together in a large bowl. Let stand until yeast is bubbly, about 5 minutes. Bring the milk just to a boil in a small pot over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in the butter to cool. Pour over yeast mixture and add the salt. Add 2 cups of the flour, stirring well, then stir in the egg. Stir in an additional 1 cups flour, using your hands to finish bringing the dough together as needed. Knead, adding up to remaining cup additional flour as needed, until the dough is smooth and bounces back slightly when pressed on with a finger, about 5 minutes. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Break off one golf ball-size piece of dough at a time and shape each into a 3-inch-wide, 1-inch-thick circle. Place on a greased baking sheet and let rise, 20 minutes. Using a finger, press a wide well in the center of each dough round. Fill each round with 1 teaspoon jam. Let rise while heating the oven to 350 degrees. Bake on the middle rack until just lightly browned, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to wire racks, cool and serve.

172 calories, 4 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 21 mg cholesterol, 29 g carbohydrates, 6 g sugar, 4 g protein, 87 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

LAUREN VOLO PHOTO This treat pairs well with strong coffee and early holiday mornings.