Intrepid Travel – Real Life Experiences…

If you’ve travelled through Poland then we hope you got the chance to try delicious kolaczki. These sweet flaky pastry treats can also be enjoyed in other Central European countries, but much like Australia and New Zealand arguing over who invented the Pavlova, the debate of who first baked kolaczki rages on in Europe.

Kolaczki come in various shapes and sizes, round, square or diamond, and you can fill them with your favourites, such as raspberry, apricot, strawberry, blueberry and the famous sweet cheese.

The recipe…

Polish kolaczki
Makes about 5 dozen Polish Cream Cheese Kolaczki

Ingredients:
8 ounce cream cheese, softened
12 ounces (3 sticks) butter, softened
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 (14-ounce) cans fillings of choice (apricot, prune, raspberry, etc.)
Confectioners’ sugar

Preparation:
1. Mix cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add flour 1 cup at a time and mix well. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Roll out dough 1/4-inch on a surface that has been dusted with equal parts confectioners’ and granulated sugars (not flour). Cut into 2-inch squares. Place 1/2 to 1 teaspoon filling on center of each square. Overlap opposite corners of dough to the center over filling.

3. Bake for 15 minutes or when corners start to brown. Cool and dust with confectioners’ sugar. These tend to become soggy if held for several days, so store them tightly covered without the confectioners’ sugar. Dust with confectioners’ sugar just prior to service.

* photo by Rudolf Sevcik – Intrepid Photography Competition

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