Thanks to the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center in La Grange, which provided us with one of the center’s most popular cookbooks, ‘’Generation to Generation: Czech Foods, Customs, and Traditions, Texas Style” (1980; Historical Society of the Czech Club, Dallas, Texas).
One kolache recipe from the book is printed on Page 20C of Bluebonnet’s pages in the November edition of Texas Co-op Power magazine. Here are a few others from the cookbook. Each cook puts her own rustic, personal spin on the Tex-Czech favorite pastry, and some of these recipes’ instructions may require a little experimentation.
If you’re willing to share with other Bluebonnet members, please send us your family kolache recipe (and the story that goes with it). Email it to Lisa Ogle at lisa.ogle@bluebonnet.coop, or mail it to her at P.O. Box 729, Bastrop, TX 78602.
HELPFUL HINTS FOR MAKING KOLACHES
1. Count on spending 4 hours in the kitchen. Draft a friend to help; it makes it easier. 2. Make sure you have enough cookie sheets to roll out all your dough.
3. While dough is rising the first time, cook fruit or prepare the filling you will use.
4. Melt butter for brushing. Grease cookie sheets. Prepare work area. Table is best. 5. Utensils that might be helpful are:
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Pastry sheet
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Pastry brush
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Rolling pin
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Paddle (wooden spoon to knead the dough)
ČESKÉ OŘECHOVE KOLÁČKY
3 1⁄2 cups flour
3⁄4 pound butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1 square of fresh yeast dissolved in milk 4 egg yolks
1⁄2 cup milk
Mix together and refrigerate for 2 hours. Roll out thin and cut in rounds with a small glass. Put on baking pan. Bake 350° for 10 to 12 minutes.
Filling:
1⁄2 pound ground walnuts
4 beaten egg whites
1 1⁄2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla and a dash of salt.
Beat egg whites first, slowly add the sugar; beat till nice and thick, then add rest of ingredients. Put a teaspoon full on each (round piece of) cookie dough.