-
What You Will Need to Make Polish Wheel Cake, or Kołacz
Sponge:
- 3 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 3/4 cups warm milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Dough:
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 8 ounces (2 sticks) melted butter, cooled slightly
Cheese Filling:
- 2 pounds farmer's cheese or ricotta cheese
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
- 1 cup light or dark raisins, plumped in water and drained (optional)
Crumb Topping:
- 4 ounces (1 stick) cold butter
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoon vanilla sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Makes 2 (12-inch) Polish wheel cakes or kołacz
Continue to 2 of 6 below. -
-
How to Make the Dough
- Using the paddle attachment in a stand mixer or large bowl, beat 4 eggs with 1 cup confectioners' sugar until light colored and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Add flour and sponge, and continue to beat the dough until well incorporated. The dough will be too loose for a dough hook, so continue to use the paddle.
- Gradually add melted butter and continue to beat until the dough is smooth and starts to blister, about 10 minutes. Scrape down dough from sides of bowl, cover and let rise in the same bowl until doubled.
Continue to 4 of 6 below. -
How to Assemble the Polish Wheel Cake, or Kołacz Before Baking
- Grease two 12x3-inch round pans. Stir down dough and pour half into each pan. Cover and let rise until dough comes to within 1 inch of the top of the pan.
- Meanwhile, make the crumb topping by mixing 1 stick butter, 6 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar and 1 cup flour as for pie crust. Set aside.
- Make the filling by beating farmer's cheese or ricotta, 4 eggs, 2 cups sugar, and 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar. Stir in drained raisins. Set aside.
- Place rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 325F. When the dough has risen, pour half of the cheese filling on top of each pan of dough and allow to sink in, pushing it down, if necessary.
- Sprinkle each cake with half of the crumb topping.
Continue to 5 of 6 below. -
-