Ham And Cheese Kolache Pockets Recipes

TEXAS KOLACHES

Steps:

• Add the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat to melt. Do not allow to brown. As soon as the butter has melted, add the milk and stir until blended. Set aside.
• Add the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low until combined.
• Switch out the paddle attachment for the dough hook and add the milk/butter mixture, as well as the egg and the egg yolk. Mix on low for about 1 minute, then, increase the speed to medium (#6 on Kitchenaid stand mixer) and knead for 8 minutes.
• In the meantime, add about 3 cups of water to a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Then, grease a large bowl. You'll also need to arrange your oven racks so that you can fit the saucepan on the floor of the oven with a rack situated above it. Your large bowl will go on top of the rack. The bowl does not need to be oven-safe.
• Once the dough has finished kneading (it will soft and somewhat sticky), use floured hands to form it into a ball and transfer it the greased bowl. Place the saucepan of boiling water on the oven floor and the bowl on the rack above it. Close the oven door and allow the dough to proof for 1 - 1 1/2 hour, until it has doubled in size.
• Remove the bowl from the oven (leave the saucepan in) and punch down the dough. On a floured work surface, divide it into 4 equal pieces, and then divide each of those pieces into quarters. You should have 16 pieces of dough.
• Roll the dough into balls and transfer to 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing them about 2 to 3 inches apart. Close the oven door and allow to proof for 90 minutes.
• Remove both pans and the saucepan from the oven and preheat it to 350°F.
• Wrap each dough ball around a piece of sausage until it is fully enclosed and pinch to seal any seams.
• Place a piece of cheese in the center of a slice of ham and fold over/wrap the ham to enclose the cheese.
• Wrap each dough ball around the ham until it is fully enclosed and pinch to seal any seams.
• Place seam-side down on the baking sheet and bake for 22-25 minutes, until golden in color. Allow to cool slightly, serve, and enjoy!

HAM AND CHEESE KOLACHE

Steps:

• Ham and Cheese Filling: In a bowl, combine 1 cup diced ham, 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard.
• Stir to blend well.
• Refrigerate until ready to use.
• For Egg Glaze: In a small bowl, combine 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon water.
• Beat lightly to blend.
• For kolaches:In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, cheese, sugar, undissolved yeast, and salt.
• Heat water and butter until very warm (120º to 130ºF).
• Gradually add to flour mixture.
• Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Add egg and 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed.
• Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
• Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Cover; let rest 10 minutes.
• Divide dough into 16 equal pieces; shape each into a ball.
• Cover; let rest 15 minutes.
• Place balls on greased baking sheets 2 inches apart.
• Make a deep and wide indentation on each ball by pushing outward toward edge, leaving 1/2-inch ridge around outside.
• Fill with Ham and Cheese filling.
• Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Brush surface of dough with Egg Glaze.
• Bake at 375ºF for 15 minutes or until done.
• Remove from sheets; serve warm.
• Refrigerate leftovers.
• BAKING TIP:When you use two baking sheets or pans in the same oven, be sure to stagger them.
• Heat rises and stacking one pan directly above another causes the bottom pan to bake faster than the top.
• Bakers should also rotate the sheets (top to bottom and bottom to top) and turn the sheets 180 degrees (back to front) halfway through baking.

HOMEMADE HAM & CHEESE POCKETS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, combine the yeast and warm water. Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes until the mixture is foamy. If the yeast doesn't dissolve or foam, your yeast is dead. Start again with active yeast. Add flour, sugar, olive oil, and salt. Mix by hand or with the dough hook on low speed for 1 minute. Once all of the ingredients are mixed, slowly knead for 7 minutes by hand or with your dough hook on low-medium speed. If your dough is too wet, add up to 1/4 cup more flour. After kneading, your dough should be smooth and elastic. Poke it with your finger - if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading.
• Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large mixing bowl that has been greased lightly with olive oil. Turn it over to coat all sides. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm environment (about 75°F or 80°F/24°C or 27°C)* for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
• Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
• Once risen, punch the dough down to release the air. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a sharp knife, slice dough in half. Then slice each half into quarters. You'll have 8 pieces of dough, as shown in the photo above. Flatten each piece with your fingers or use a rolling pin. You want each piece of flattened dough to be about 6 inches long and 4 inches wide. They don't have to be perfect rectangles, as you can see in my photos! Transfer flattened dough to the baking sheets. Place the cheese (I fold the slice in half) and ham (2 slices for each) on top of the dough on one side, then fold the other side over top. Pinch the edges to seal as best you can. Use a fork to crimp the edges. Brush the tops and sides of each pocket with egg wash, then slice 2-3 slits in the tops for air vents (use a super sharp knife to do that).
• Bake the pockets for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Make sure to rotate the baking sheet once or twice during bake time. Remove pockets from the oven and allow to cool on the pan until ready to handle and serve.

HAM AND CHEESE KOLACHE POCKETS

Steps:

• Prepare 1 batch of Sylvia's Kolache Dough (#238688) per directions through step 9. (Note that I use my countertop mixer with the dough hook rather than mixing by hand and usually need about 6 1/2 cups of flour vs. the 6 that Sylvia calls for).
• Divide the dough into 12 equal parts.
• Roll into round balls and then one at a time:.
• Roll out each dough ball into an oval about 8" x 6".
• Layer 3 slices of deli ham and 1/3 cup of shredded cheddar in the middle of the oval.
• Bring the long ends up and together on top of the cheese (make sure to wrap it up!). Pinch the dough together to seal.
• Bring the short ends up and together on top of the 1st layer of dough. Pinch the dough together to seal.
• With your hands, roll each dough pocket around to smooth the seams and shape into a 4"x3" pocket (about 1 1/2 inches thick).
• Arrange on a greased baking tray.
• Brush the tops with melted butter.
• Bake 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees until done.
• Eat hot (very!) or allow to cool completely and store in the fridge. (Note: Let the pockets cool before putting them in bags - otherwise the moisture will condense in the plastic bag and make the dough a bit soggy).

HOUSTON HAM AND CHEESE KOLACHES

Steps:

• SPONGE: Mix together yeast and 2 cups of flour. Add the rest of the sponge ingredients. Mix with spoon until thoroughly combined and then put in your refrigerator overnight. (this time is not in the cook time).
• The next morning, stir the sponge lightly and add the salt. Begin adding flour until it forms into a dough ball. If there is little humidity, this could be as little as one cup. If you are here in Houston, I usually end up putting in a couple and then kneading another half cup.
• Once you have a doughball, Let it rest for 20 minutes.
• Knead for 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface, adding flour as needed. The dough should be very easy to knead, fairly loose.
• Place kneaded dough into a bowl, lightly oiled and turn dough so that it is covered with oil. Let it rise until doubled in size, about an hour. Meanwhile, mix together ham and cheese.
• Punch down dough.
• Divide into 32 small balls (divide in half, then divide in half again, and again, etc.). Take each ball and flatten with your hand to a 3" circle. Place one tablespoon ham and cheese mixture into the center of each circle and close into a ball, twisting the opening closed. Make sure the opening is well sealed, or the kolaches will burst open in the oven.
• Place filled balls seam side down onto greased cookie sheets (I use 2). Cover and let rise again for half an hour. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
• Brush kolaches with melted butter. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden colored. You don't want these to get brown, or they will be too dry. Just golden, like biscuits or dinner rolls.
• Baked kolaches can be frozen, thawed, and reheated in the microwave.

HAM AND CHEESE POCKETS

Steps:

• Let dough rise according to package directions. Punch down; divide into 10 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a 5-in. circle., Preheat oven to 375°. Place 1 circle on a greased baking sheet; top with about 1/4 cup ham and 2 tablespoons cheese to within 1/2 in. of edge. Press filling to flatten. Combine egg yolk and water; brush edges of dough. Fold dough over filling and pinch edges to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Brush tops with remaining egg yolk mixture., Bake until golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Serve warm or cold.