This wonderful jam-filled bread is a traditional Czech/ Slovak recipe. It was served to us at dinner as the meal and it is MUCH easier to make than I expected!!!
INGREDIENTS:
(these measurements are a little weird because they were converted from metric)
- 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/3 sticks of unsalted butter (room temperature!)
- 5 T sugar (divided)
- 1 1/2 cups of milk
- 2 (7g.) packets of dried yeast
- 1 pinch of salt
- 3 egg yolks and one full egg(at room temperature!)
- 2 T. lemon juice
- 1/2 t. vanilla
- 1 jar of fruit preserves (any flavor- we had prune, strawberry and apricot in Slovakia- I used red raspberry in this batch)
- 1 c. powdered sugar
DIRECTIONS:
- Set 3 eggs and butter out to come to room temperature.
- In a small bowl, warm milk to lukewarm in microwave. Add 1 T. of sugar and both packets of yeast to the milk and allow the yeast to rise for 10 minutes.
- While you are waiting: in a large bowl place flour, sugar and salt and blend well.
- Beat 3 egg yolks together in a small bowl and add vanilla.
- Dice butter.
- After 10 minutes beat the egg/ vanilla mixture into the yeast/ milk mixture and pour into flour. Mix until combined.
- Add room temperature, diced butter and blend.
- Add lemon juice and knead dough until smooth (took me about 4-5 minutes)
- Place dough in a ceramic or glass bowl, cover with a clean towel and place in a warm place (oven or microwave) for 1 hour. It should double in size.
- After one hour, punch dough and remove air. Divide into 24 equal parts.
- Roll each part out flat, place a scoop of preserves in the middle and then fold dough around preserves and seal by pressing dough together. Place in a lined (foil or parchment paper) pan (I used two 9 inch square cake pans) with the sealed side down.
- Cover pan with a clean towel and allow to rise for 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Remove towel from pan and brush rolls with a beaten egg
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until golden.
- Cool on a wire rack
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve— enjoy (Dobrou Chut!!!!!)

