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Polish Housewife

Polish recipes served up with tidbits of folklore, customs, and history

Christmas

Kolaczki (Polish filled cookies)

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Recipes know no borders, Kolaczki are popular in Poland as well as Czech Republic, Russia, Austria, Denmark, and probably more places. As you might expect there multiple spellings for this pastry, but Kolaczki seems the most Polish to me.

Kolaczki - Polish Cookies

Normally, I’d expect to see these on a Christmas cookie tray, but I made them recently, as things are starting to warm up in Tucson because I needed a breakfast pastry to share with new friends. Earlier this year, Ed and I heard about a small group of people who gather at one of the bars in downtown Tucson early on Sunday mornings to watch Premier League football (soccer) from the UK. The time difference does make for early matches in our time zone. Let’s just say that at 8:00 AM on a Sunday morning, there is no traffic; we have no trouble finding a parking place.

We found the most wonderful community. Small but tightly knit and very inviting. European football doesn’t have a huge following stateside, but these die hard fans support our local, semi-pro team, and on Sunday mornings, they get together to watch the big guys. People will ask who we’re rooting for, but we don’t really have a favorite in the Premier League. It’s just fun to watch a good match, the more scoring the better.

Kolaczki - Polish Cookies

As I said, the customers and the bartender are very hospitable, every Sunday, someone stops to pick up donuts or cookies on their way. The box gets passed around the bar, and if you’re still hungry, about 9:00, they’ll serve breakfast to go with your coffee. After a few weeks, Ed suggested that I bring something the following week. Thanks to all of you who chimed in on the PH facebook page when I asked about your favorite flavor. In the end, I made apricot, probably the most popular response and cranberry because I had a big Costco sized bag in the pantry. A couple of recipes in particular inspired this baking: Allrecipes and The Spruce.

I cooked the dried fruit in a little water with a squirt of lemon juice and just a smidge of sugar until if was soft, then I blitzed it with an immersion blender. You could also use a canned filling or jam if you’re pressed for time. The hard part was getting them to stay folded over while baking. I’m a pretty experienced baker and I was surprised by how stubbornly many of the Kolaczki opened up like a blooming flower while baking. It was a pity, but we had to eat those. I couldn’t take imperfect baked goods!

I’m sure I’ll be making these again.

Smacznego!

Lois

The Amazon links below are affiliate links, meaning Amazon sends me a few cents if you make a purchase

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Kolaczki - Polish Cookies

Kolaczki (Polish filled cookies)

★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Polish Housewife
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: Polish
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Description

A rich pastry with fruit fillings

Ingredients

For the pastry:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups butter
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the filling

  • 3/4 cup dried apricots (or other dried fruit)
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Cream the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy
  2. Stir in flour and salt
  3. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for an hour
  4. Preheat oven to 350
  5. Roll out the dough by first dusting the surface (mat or counter top) with sugar
  6. Roll to 1/4 inch and cut into 2 inch squares
  7. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each square
  8. Fold over opposite corners and seal well
  9. Bake for 15 minute or until corners just begin to brown
  10. Cool and dust with powdered sugar

For filling:

  1. Add apricots and water to a saucepan
  2. Add 2 tablespoons sugar
  3. Simmer until apricots are tender, about 15 minutes
  4. Mash or puree with immersion blender

 

Date Bars, Matrimonial Cake

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Date Bars seem like an old fashioned treat, simple, wholesome, sneaking a bit of fruit into the mix, as moms love to do. Date Bars, Matrimonial Cake in Canada, are something I’ve only recently made, but I’m sure the new tradition will continue.

Simple, wholesome date Bars, Matrimonial cake in Canada

We celebrate staff birthdays monthly, and my friend and colleague, Sue, is our only December birthday. We’ve shared enough meals together that I know she’s not terribly big on sweets, preferring savory treats like olives in puff pastry. As I was trying to decide what to bake last December, I got in touch with Sue’s sister, and she recommended Date Bars.

The recommendaton was spot on! Sue appreciated the effort and the research. We all enjoyed the snack. Another colleague said about the date bars this year, “I love that the crust tastes buttery.” Sue, with long standing family ties to Canada, told us that our American Date Bars are often called Matrimonial Cake in Canada. The blog Little Gray Bird offers some reasons for the name.

date bars

For the last two Decembers, I’ve made two pans of date bars, matrimonial cake, one for work, one for my cookie tray at home on Christmas morning. I can tell you that they freeze well and can easily be made vegan, substituting something like Earth Balance for the butter.

Whether you decide to make them with butter or a vegan version, I hope you and your friends will enjoy.

Smacznego!

Lois

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Simple, wholesome date Bars, Matrimonial cake in Canada

Date Bars, Matrimonial Cake

  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 36
  • Category: Dessert
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Description

A wholesome, fruit filled dessert in about an hour!

Ingredients

  • 3 cups chopped pitted dates (1 lb)
  • 1 1/2cups water
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1cup butter, softened (or Earth Balance for vegan version)
  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400
  2. Combine dates, water, and 1/4 cup sugar over low heat until thickened, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes
  3. Cool 5 minutes
  4. Grease the bottom and sides of 13×9-inch pan
  5. Cream the brown sugar and butter until well mixed
  6. Stir in flour, oats, baking soda and salt until crumbly
  7. Press half of the crumb mixture evenly in bottom of pan
  8. Spread the date mixture over the bottom crust
  9. Top with remaining crumb mixture; press lightly
  10. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown
  11. Cool 5 minutes in pan
  12. Cut into 6 rows by 6 rows while warm

Notes

Recipe can be halved and made in a 8×8-inch square pan.

 

Shortbread

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We have a gift exchange during our staff Christmas potluck lunch in December. I work at a church, so that’s why it’s not a “holiday” potluck. We exchange real gifts at this gathering, not white elephants (those are saved for the Epiphany party, of course). The gifts are given Secret Santa style. I was the lucky recipient of a beautifully decorative shortbread.

shortbread

Since my boss, the Interim Rector, had brought an identical shortbread for us to sample during the  potluck. I had a really good idea who my secret Santa was. That’s good for you and me, because I asked for his recipe which he gladly shared, adding that what makes this shortbread different is the addition of corn starch, which keeps the end product a little softer than most.

Another secret he shared is that he heats his stoneware baking molds in the oven while its preheating. When the buttery batter is patted into the hot mold, it melts enough to completely fill all of the little nooks in crannies in the detailed mold. His mold is from Hartstone. They are still making stoneware. This beautiful mold isn’t in their current inventory, but I noticed several just like this on eBay in the $20-25 range. With the heart pattern this shortbread and/or pan would make a great Valentine’s gift.

A friend brought me a tin of Walker’s shortbread when I was in the hospital after delivering our twin daughters. As an experienced mom of three, she said, “you’re going to get lots of things for the babies. This is for you. A little something to enjoy when you’re up during the middle of the night.”

Twins

Torrejon Air Base, Spain, 1983

Ever since then, shortbread has become a comfort food in my dictionary. If you’d like to give it a try, here’s the Canon’s recipe for shortbread.

shortbread 1

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Shortbread

★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 60 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
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Description

A rich, short pastry, delicious plain or baked in a decorative mold!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 cup corn starch
  • Pinch of salt (this would be my addition because I think even sweet favors are brightened by a hint of salt)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 (may heat mold during preheat)
  2. Melt butter
  3. Add sugar
  4. Add butter and corn starch, one cup at a time
  5. The mixture will be very crumbly
  6. Pat into two 8 inch molds (for a thick shortbread) or into one sheet pan (will be thinner)
  7. Bake for 40 minutes
  8. Reduce heat to 300 and bake 20 minutes longer

Notes

Freezes well!

 

Speculaas (Speculoos) Cookies

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speculoos speculaas co

Apparently, while I’ve been quietly living in Poland, Americans have been going nuts for speculoos! It’s the new Nutella! There’s a national shortage, headlines read, “speculoos spread is crack in a jar” I’m lucky to have friends and family that give me an education in food. I hope you have those people around you too. I first learned about speculoos when we visited Belgium over the summer. My brother directed us to a bakery famous for their speculoos; he’s helping me make up for my lack of pop culture exposure back home with a trip to the source.

A recent coffee morning with my friend from the Netherlands, Debbie,  led to a discussion about the Dutch version of this spice combination, speculaas. It’s used to make butter cookies that are similar to gingerbread. Debbie was kind enough to include a jar of speculaas in the Dutch goodies she brought me after her holiday at home. I can relate to the crack in a jar comment. The container sat on our counter for a few days before I got around to baking with it, and multiple times a days, I would walk by and take a whiff. The aroma is heavenly. If someone hasn’t turned this into a potpourri scent, they should.

Traditionally speculoos cookies are molded into intricate shapes. I plan to be doing some of these in the future. I’ve picked up some Polish piernik molds and bought a large speculaas mold while shopping in the arts and antique district in Amsterdam last week.

For now, I made some simple speculaas cookies, just rounds pressed with a water glass dipped in sugar and decorated with a few almond slices. The fragrant cookies were delicious and a little softer and chewier than the crisp verison of speculaas. This recipe comes from Joy of Baking and would make a great addition to your holiday cookie tray!

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speculoos speculaas co

Speculaas (Speculoos) Cookies

  • Prep Time: 80 mins
  • Cook Time: 12 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 32 mins
  • Yield: 40 cookies
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: Dutch
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Description

A fragrant spicy cookie, crisp with a chewy center.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups flour (195 g)
  • 1/2 cup almond flour or meal (45 g)
  • 1 1/3 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • (or substitute 1 3/4 teaspoons speculaas if you have it for all the spices)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup butter (113 g)
  • 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar (160 g)
  • 1 large egg
  • finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 cup sliced almonds, (80 g)

Instructions

  1. Combine the flours, baking powder, spices and salt and set aside
  2. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes
  3. Add the egg and lemon zest
  4. Add the flour mixture mixing until combined
  5. Flatten the dough and wrap tightly in plastic wrap
  6. Chill for at least one hour
  7. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C)
  8. Line baking sheets with parchment paper
  9. Roll the dough into 1 inch (2.5 cm) balls and place on lined baking sheets
  10. Press each ball with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar, until 1/4 inch thick (just over 1/2 cm) and sprinkle with sliced almonds
  11. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes

 

Mint Brownies and a Pink Picnic for Restaurant Day

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mint brownies

I first learned to make these mint brownies when we were in Spain. It was a recipe in the cookbook put together by the squadron wives.

It couldn’t be simpler, your favorite brownie recipe topped with a mint buttercream, and then spread melted chocolate over the chilled sweet. Mint brownies freeze well, so it’s perfect to make in December and tint the frosting green or red; you’ll always have a seasonal treat ready on a moment’s notice.

It’s also perfect if you’re looking for something American and something pink! Tomorrow is Restaurant Day, a quarterly international event, and I’m setting up a popup restaurant that will offer two American baked goodies. All the proceeds from tomorrow will go the World Sepsis Day (#WSD14) to help fund the fight against sepsis, a life threatening condition that put Ed in a Polish hospital last year for a month.

World Sepsis Day

The theme for WSD’s activities this year is a pink picnic, so my pink offerings will be the mint brownies and mini cupcakes made with beet. I’m a huge fan of Restaurant Day, sometimes the food is extraordinary and memorable, sometimes it’s just nice, but what I LOVE is the spirit of Restaurant Day. People all over town, cooking up a storm and sharing the food they like to make with adventurous diners who are roaming the city, sampling as they go. The downside to participating by setting up a popup, is that we’ll be tied down to one location and won’t be able to check out the other offerings.

At the moment, we only have 10 popups in Poznan, which is half of what we’ve had on recent Restaurant Days, but August is a slow time here. A lot of people are away on holiday, and we’re competing with the Festival of Good Tastes in the Stary Rynek. If you’re on Twitter, follow me, @PolishHousewife, to see how it’s going!

#ppicnic

pink picnic sepsis r-day

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Mint Brownies

  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

A colorful, minty brownie

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces (113 g)
  • 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped (114 g)
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated white sugar (250 g)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup flour (65 g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (28 g)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (115 g)
  • 1 – 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • green or red food coloring (optional)
  • 3 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (90 g)*
  • 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter

* I can’t get semisweet chocolate chips in Poland, so I chop up plain chocolate bars, mixed dark chocolate and milk chocolate in equal proportions.

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 F (160 C)
  2. In a saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter and unsweetened chocolate (99-100%), stirring occasionally
  3. Remove from heat, stir in sugar, and vanilla
  4. Add eggs
  5. Stir in flour and salt.
  6. Pour into a parchment lined 9 x 9 inch pan (23 x 23 cm) and bake for approximately 25 minutes, until the edges begin to pull away from the pan, a toothpick inserted in the center will come out almost clean.
  7. Cool completely
  8. In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons butter, powdered sugar, cream, and peppermint extract, use just enough cream to make the buttecream spreadable
  9. Spread over cooled brownie, refrigerate for at least 15 minutes
  10. Combine 1 tablespoon butter with semisweet chocolate. Melt in microwave or over low heat, stir to combine
  11. Spread over mint layer, Refrigerate
  12. Dip a sharp knife in hot water before slicing. For best results, clean and warm the knife before every cut.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our Pink Picnic fundraiser for World Sepsis Day. We were able to send 100 euro with your help! 😀
pink picnic Collage