We cannot deny kids’ love for sweet treats. From simple candies and chocolate bars to flavorful cakes and pastries, they will say yes to a serving and will come back for more.
Want to surprise your kids and prepare some unique sweet treats with a touch of other countries’ specialties? Why not try Polish? You cannot go to Poland right away but you can bring their delectable pastries right in your dining table with these recipes.
Traditional Polish cheesecake sernik
Ingredients:
Crust:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 5 ounces cold butter
- 2 large egg yolks (at room temperature)
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
Filling:
5 ounces butter (at room temperature)
2 cups of sugar
4 large eggs (at room temperature, separated)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 pounds dry-curd cheese (passed through a sieve or processed in a blender until smooth)
Directions:
Prepare the crust:
- In a large food processor, mix flour, baking powder and sugar. Pulse the cold butter, similar to that when preparing pie dough.
- In another bowl, mix egg yolks and sour cream. Add it to the flour and butter mixture. Pulse until combined. You can add an extra egg if the dough is too dry. If it is too soft to roll, chill for about an hour.
- Using butter, grease a 13” x 9” pan. Roll pastry dough large enough to line the pan.
Make the filling:
Heat oven at 350°F.
In a bowl, cream the butter with sugar until light and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks and vanilla until. Mixed in the cheese.
In another bowl, beat four egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold it into the cheeses mixture.
Pour the filling over the pastry crust-lined pan. Leftover dough can be rolled into pencil shapes and lay diagonally across the top of the cheesecake.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until slightly jiggly. Don’t let the top brown.
Cool and serve.
Baked paczki Polish donut
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups warm milk (no warmer than 110 F)
- 2 (1/4-ounce) packages active dry yeast, proofed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 ounces butter
- 1 large egg
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon brandy (or rum)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Optional: granulated sugar, confectioners’ sugar, and fruit paste or jam for filling
Directions:
In a bowl, add yeast to the milk. Stir until dissolved.
In a large processor, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg, egg yolks, brandy or rum and salt.
Add the flour alternately with the milk and yeast mixture. Beat for 5 minutes using the machine. Continue mixing by using a wooden spoon until smooth. If the dough is too soft, add in ½ cup of flour.
Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in size for about 1 to 2 ½ hours. Punch the dough down and let it rise again.
Pat or roll the dough over a lightly floured surface to a ½ to ¾ of ich thick. Cut rounds using a 3-inch cutter. Remove scraps. Reroll and re-cut.
Transfer the round dough over a baking sheet with parchment lining. Cover. Let it rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
Heat oven to 375°F. Baked the paczki for 8 to 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from the oven, roll in granulated sugar while still hot. You can use confectioner’s sugar when cool. Serve.
Note: If you want paczki with filling, cool and cut a slit on the top of it after baking. Slip a teaspoon of jam or fruit paste of your choice. Proceed with rolling it in granulated sugar or dusting it with confectioner’s sugar.
Polish kolachky
Ingredients:
- 2 (8 ounces) packages of cream cheese
- 2 cups softened unsalted butter
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 lb. crushed walnuts
- 1 egg
- ½ cup honey
- 1 egg white
- ½ cup confectioner’s sugar
Directions:
In a large bowl, mix cream cheese and butter. You can use your hands or a wooden spoon. Mix in the flour, 1 cup at a time. When the dough becomes stiff, knead in flour until it is no longer sticky. Continue kneading for 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees°F.
In a food processor, crush in the walnuts. Add in egg and honey. On a floured surface, roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut the dough into 3”x3” squares. Place a teaspoon of the filling in the center of each square.
Roll the two sides of the square together and seal the edges. It can also be formed in triangles.
Place the cookies 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Brush with egg white.
Baked for 15-17 minutes or until light brown. Cool and dust with confectioner’s sugar.
Szarlotka (polish apple pie)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup of sugar
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- 9 tbsps butter
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 ¼ lbs apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- ½ tsp cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat oven at 350°F.
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar and baking powder.
Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until coarse.
Add in egg and egg yolks to make the dough crumbly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Set aside 1/3 of the crust. Pat the remaining 2/3 in a 9” springform pan, covering the bottom and the sides.
Toss sliced apples in the cinnamon, and put it in the pan, piling them up.
Crumble the remaining crust and sprinkle over the apples.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is light brown and the apples are tender.
Note: You can add ground almonds before putting in the sliced apples.
Polish cuisine is rich in different desserts and treats that can be loved by your kids. These are just some recipes that your family can enjoy. Some of these are not that easy to prepare but is always worth it. Anyway, those are just sweet sacrifices to appease your cuddly little ones’ cravings.
Read also:
- Apple Recipes for Kids: Tempting Desserts
- What are the Least Allergenic Foods for Kids?
- Colorful Dessert Ideas: Dazzling Treats for Kids
