VEGAN POPPYSEED AND FIG BUTTER KOLACHES

Poppy seed and fig butter all wrapped up in a sweet vegan dough and ready to grace your next holiday party.

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Kolaches are very nostalgic for me. During the holidays as a child I would put on my latest holiday dress and go to Christmas eve at my grandmothers house with my family. It was always bustling with aunts, uncles and cousins when we walked through the door and there was always a massive spread of holiday treats down stairs for everyone to enjoy. One thing I always looked forward too was her kolaches. They're simple, sweet and hold many childhood memories for me.

Simple and sweet

To bring back the memories, Ive taken this classic recipe and created a plant based version to share at my next holiday party. It starts with a simple sweet dough that is left to rise before pressing it out into little squares and filling them with a sweet poppyseed filling and fig butter. I like to use solo brand for my poppyseed filling because that's what my grandma used but you can easily make your own filling or use another brand. I found the fig butter in my local trader joes and Its not a classic flavor, but it is tasty!! You can also use any fruit preserves you'd like as a filling and to create a colorful spread. Its important to note that you must not overfill the kolaches before you bake them. Too much filling and they will burst open in the oven. They will still be delicious but not quite as neat. In saying that, I still encourage you to reduce waste and serve all of your kolaches!

Tips & tricks

Chia egg: Mix one tbsp chia seeds and 2.5 tbsn water in a bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes, stir once again and use as directed.

Sealing: In order to create a good seal, press tightly. If your kolaches are opening up in the oven, use less dough and press it out thinner. You can also try using a touch of water to seal the edges together.

VEGAN POPPYSEED AND FIG BUTTER KOLACHES

(Makes about 2 1/2 dozen)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package active dry yeast

• 1/2 cup warm water

• 1/2 cup lukewarm almond milk

• 1/3 cup agave

• 1/3 cup vegan butter, soften

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 chia egg (how-to here)

• 3 1/2 - 4 cups all purpose flour

• oil for greasing

Filling

• 1 can solo poppyseed filling

• 1 jar fig butter

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl. Let sit until the yeast blooms, 5-10 minutes.

3. In the same bowl- add in the milk, egg, agave, salt and 2 cups of flour. Mix until smooth. slowly add the rest of the flour until the dough is smooth and easy to handle.

4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Place it in a greased bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Store in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

5. Punch down the dough and one by one, take a 1 inch size ball of dough from the bowl and roll or press it out into a 2x2 inch square.

6. Place a teaspoon amount of filling in the center of the square and bring the edges up to meet in the center . Press tightly to close.

7. Place on a baking sheet 1 inch apart and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 F.

8. Dust with powder sugar before serving.

These vegan Kolaches will satisfy your sweet tooth and make a beautiful rustic center piece for the table this winter. Place them on a wooden board or in a large bread bowl with a tea towel and you are set for the holidays. As always, I love seeing your creations so don't forget to tag @the_fishbish on instagram and comment below to tell me what your your guests thought! Happy baking, Bishes!