APPLE KOLACHE PASTRIES
(classic Czech pastry)
Dough:
225 g softened butter
1 tub 230 g Simonsberg low fat cream cheese, softened
2 cups cake flour
Fillings:
1 ½ cups finely chopped, peeled apples or tin pie apples
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tin apricots, drained
any jam preserves
Icing:
1 cup icing sugar
4 ½ teaspoon milk
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour and mix well. Divide dough into two portions; cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle.
Preheat oven to 200°C. In a small bowl, combine apples and cinnamon. On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion of dough into a 15 x 9-in. rectangle; cut into 3-in. squares. Place a teaspoonful of apple/whole apricot/jam in center of each square. Overlap two opposite corners of dough over filling; pinch tightly to seal.
Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough and apple mixture. Bake 10 – 12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.
Combine icing ingredients; drizzle over slightly cooled pastries Makes 2 ½ doz.
Recipe and Photo: Gail Haselsteiner
