Quick Kolachky with Sour Cream

Kolachky are the pinched, jewel-filled pastries that turn up on every Eastern European holiday table, and this sour cream version bakes especially tender and flaky. The dough gets its richness from butter, shortening, eggs and sour cream, with just enough yeast to lend a soft, light bite rather than a bready one.

The overnight chill is doing real work, firming the soft dough so it rolls cleanly the next day and keeping the butter cold for flakiness. Here’s the trick that sets kolachky apart: you roll the dough on a powdered-sugar-dusted cloth instead of flour, so the sweetness rolls right in and the pastry stays delicate instead of toughening.

Cut into squares, drop a teaspoon of filling in each center, pinch two opposite corners closed, and bake just until set. A dusting of powdered sugar finishes them once cool.

Kitchen Tips

• Don’t skip the overnight refrigeration. Cold dough rolls thin without tearing and bakes up flakier.
• Roll on powdered sugar, never flour. Flour toughens the dough, while sugar keeps it tender and sweet.
• Pinch the corners together firmly. A dab of egg wash or water helps them hold so they don’t pop open in the oven.
• Don’t overfill. A teaspoon is plenty, since too much filling oozes out and scorches.

Variations

• Fill with the classics: apricot or prune lekvar, poppy seed paste, or sweetened cream cheese.
• Stir a little lemon or orange zest into the dough for brightness.
• Use raspberry or cherry preserves for a fruitier, brighter cookie.