A Kolache Recipe from a Czech Grandmother

Who would have expected a woman from another planet to experiment with the cuisines of Earth? As a Kindle Board member said, “It's always a pleasure to read a book where the character is so fleshed out that I feel I would know him/her if I met them on the street. Not only would I know them, I'd have invited them to lunch so we could chat!” Learn more!

Wheat was new to Ana when she came to Earth—needless to say. Thomans have many sources of carbohydrates (starches), some of which are similar to several of our grains, but wheat and corn, to name just two, are among Ana’s favorite grains on her new planet.

She loves baked goods, and baking. Here’s a recipe that came to her second or third hand from an honest-to-goodness Czech grandmother. It’s for kolaches, the traditional, much-loved Czech pastry. There’s nothing experimental about this recipe. It comes from the old Czecheslovakia to Texas, where it almost certainly has been used daily for over a hundred years.


True Czech Kolaches

1 cup of milk
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of butter
1/4 cup shortening or lard
1 teaspoon of salt
1 package of yeast
1/4 cup of warm water
2 eggs
4 to 5 cups of flour

Scald the milk. Dissolve sugar and salt, and melt butter in milk. Cool.

Proof yeast in water. Add milk mixture and eggs. Work in flour, keeping softer than for bread. Let rise one hour.

Shape into balls. Depress center. Fill with fruit of your choice. Place close together on greased pan. Let rise for 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees, until light brown.


(Many more recipes in the right column, halfway down)

Meet Ana Darcy!

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Wearable art Ana loves from Mexico, Ecuador, and Guatemala