Cherry and Cream Cheese Kolaches

Ingredients

• 3 cup all-purpose flour (Plus more for dusting; divided, with 1 cup for the yeast mixture and 2 cups added later)
• 0.333 cup granulated sugar (For the dough)
• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 1 cup whole milk (Warmed to between 100°F and 115°F; for the dough)
• 0.5 cup unsalted butter (Melted; for the dough)
• 3 large egg yolks (For the dough)
• 1 tsp kosher salt (For the dough)
• 1 lb sweet cherries (About 3 1/2 cups, pitted and coarsely chopped)
• 0.5 cup granulated sugar (For the cherry filling)
• 0.25 cup water (For the cherry filling)
• 0.125 tsp kosher salt (For the cherry filling)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (Stirred into the cooled cherry filling)
• 8 oz cream cheese (At room temperature)
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar (For the cream cheese filling)
• 1 large egg yolk (For the cream cheese filling)
• 1 tsp lemon zest (For the cream cheese filling)
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (For the streusel topping)
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar (For the streusel topping)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (Melted; for the streusel topping)
• 0.125 tsp kosher salt (For the streusel topping)
• 1 large egg yolk (For the egg wash)
• 1 tbsp whole milk (For the egg wash)

Steps

1. 1

   Gather and measure all ingredients.

2. 2

   Make the dough. Whisk 1 cup of the flour, the dough sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Add the warm milk and whisk to combine. Set aside until small bubbles begin to appear on the surface, about 5 minutes.

3. 3

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, three egg yolks, and dough salt.

4. 4

   Stir the butter mixture into the yeast mixture with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of flour, adding 1 cup at a time.

5. 5

   After the second cup of flour has been added and the dough becomes difficult to stir, turn the shaggy dough onto a lightly floured countertop. Knead by hand until smooth and springy, 3 to 4 minutes. The dough should remain very tacky and slightly greasy, but not sticky; if it sticks, dust the surface with as little additional flour as possible.

6. 6

   Transfer the dough to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place it in a warm spot until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

7. 7

   Make the cherry filling. Combine the chopped cherries, cherry-filling sugar, water, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

8. 8

   Reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a steady simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced to a thick, syrupy consistency, about 25 minutes.

9. 9

   Remove the cherry filling from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. Stir in the lemon juice.

10. 10

    Make the streusel. Stir together the flour, sugar, melted butter, and salt in a small bowl until crumbly. Set it aside to let the butter solidify, then stir again before using to create fine crumbs.

11. 11

    Make the cream cheese filling. Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, egg yolk, and lemon zest in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth, about 1 minute.

12. 12

    Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces, about 2 1/3 ounces each. Roll each piece against the work surface with cupped hands to form a smooth ball.

13. 13

    Transfer the dough balls to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a damp towel and let rise until doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes.

14. 14

    Preheat the oven to 375°F.

15. 15

    Use your fingertips to form a 2-inch-wide well in the center of each dough ball. Whisk the remaining egg yolk and milk in a small bowl, then brush the outer edges and sides of each dough ball with the egg wash.

16. 16

    Spread 1 tablespoon of cream cheese filling into each well. Make a smaller well in the center of the cream cheese and top each pastry with a dollop of cherry filling. Sprinkle with the streusel topping.

17. 17

    Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are light golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Notes

The dough should be moist and very tacky but not sticky. Use only as much extra flour as needed while kneading. Keep the finished pastries light golden rather than deeply browned to preserve their tenderness.

Nutrition per serving

• breakfast
• dessert
• pastry
• yeast-baked
• fruit-filled
• vegetarian
• Czech-inspired
• baked