Pudding Mix Kolaches
An heirloom kolache recipe that calls for pudding. This dough is not terribly sweet even with the pudding mix. The sweetness comes from the fruit preserves and topping. If you wanted to, you could probably get away with using savory fillings like egg & sausage in this same dough.
Servings 32 small kolaches
Cost 5
Ingredients
- 1 package cook and serve vanilla pudding mix (3 oz)
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 2 packets yeast (4 ½ teaspoons)
- ½ cup warm water
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon Morton kosher salt, scant (see notes)
- 4-5 cups all-purpose flour (500 grams)
Crumb Topping
- ¼ cup sugar (50 grams)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (25 grams)
- Tiny pinch of salt
- 4 teaspoons cold butter (18 grams)
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened (228 grams)
- ¼ cup sugar (50 grams)
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon more or less of lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon more or less vanilla
Instructions
- Combine pudding mix and 1 ½ cups of milk in a saucepan. Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until pudding mixture thickens. Turn off heat and add butter. Let the butter melt with the pudding.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, proof the yeast in ½ cup of water.
- Scrape pudding mixture into a large mixing bowl, preferably a stand mixer bowl, and whisk in the eggs, salt, the proofed yeast/water mixture.
- Begin adding flour. Add 2 cups of flour (250 grams) and stir well with a heavy scraper. Add another cup of flour and stir until mixed. Add another cup of flour. Dough will begin to form. Set the remaining 1 cup of flour aside.
- Set the mixer on the stand and begin kneading with the dough hook. After about 2 minutes of kneading, check dough. It will most likely be sticking to the sides of the bowl and very loose. Scrape sides of bowl and begin adding remaining cup of flour ¼ cup at a time, kneading until the dough is clinging only to the hook and not the sides of the bowl.
- Alternatively. Repeat steps above, but instead of putting on mixer stand, put the dough on a mat and knead, adding the last cup of flour as you knead.
- Scrape dough into a very lightly greased bowl, then cover and let rise for an hour or until doubled.
- Punch down dough and divide in half. On a mat, shape half the dough into a rectangle about 9x6. With a chef's knife, cut the rectangle into 8 equal pieces. Repeat with second half of dough so that you have 16 pieces. You can keep them this size, or cut each piece again to make about 32 squares for small kolaches. I think the texture of this dough and the level of sweetness works best with smaller kolaches.
- Arrange dough pieces in 2 greased 9x13 inch pans, spacing evenly. They need about ¾ of an inch or so of space between them, as they will rise in the oven and come together.
- Cover and let rise for another 30 to 45 minutes at room temperature. They will not double, but they will puff up a bit. While dough is rising, prepare cream cheese filling and crumb topping.
- For the cream cheese filling, beat together cream cheese and sugar, then beat in lemon zest, egg and a little vanilla.
- For the crumb topping, mix together the flour and sugar, then add butter. Use your fingers are a pastry cutter to cut it in, making it crumbly.
- Once dough has risen, brush pieces with melted butter. Make large indentations in the center of each piece and fill with cream cheese. Add gobs of preserves (optional). Sprinkle with crumb topping.
- Bake at 375 for 18 to 25 minutes. Bake time will depend on how large you cut the kolaches, but you want them to be golden. Internal temperature should be a little over 200F.
- Let cool before serving or serve just slightly warm.
Notes
If using table salt, use only 1 ½ teaspoons. If using salted butter, reduce salt to 1 ½ teaspoons. The 2 teaspoons indicated is just right to balance the other flavors and adding any more would make the dough a little too salty.