Serves 12 to 15
WHILE TRYING TO DECIDE WHICH STATES TO INCLUDE IN THIS BOOK, IT BECAME clear there are two camps: those who believe North and South Dakota belong in the category of “Midwest,” and those who don’t. I found most people who don’t think these states count as the Midwest are Great Lakes–centric snobs like me, and I vowed to change my ways. When I widened the net to include these states, a jumble of irresistible stories, recipes, and immigrant influences came forth, namely the Dakotas’ celebration of both German kuchen (South Dakota’s state dessert) and Czech kolaches. It was official: the Dakotas were in.
As it happens, both kuchen and kolaches can be made from the same dough; it’s just a matter of how you shape and fill them. In my travels, I’ve found that both kuchen and kolache can mean many things to different people—it seems there are as many versions of kuchen out there as there are families and bakeries. Generally speaking, kuchen is a coffeecake meant to be cut and shared and usually features seasonal fruit, whereas kolaches are smaller, handheld “pastries” with fillings cooked and prepared ahead of time. Whatever shape they take, they’re all good with me.
1 batch Buttery, Yeast-Raised Coffeecake Dough (here), unrisen
⅓ cup/43 g unbleached all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for dusting
Nonstick cooking spray for pan
1 cup/240 g full-fat sour cream
¼ cup/50 g granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, finely grated lemon zest, or both
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups/340 g fresh blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries, or sliced firm-ripe stone fruits, such as peaches, Italian plums, or nectarines
Prepare the dough: Mix up a batch of Buttery, Yeast-Raised Coffeecake Dough, adding the extra ⅓ cup/43 g of flour to the dough. Allow to rise once, according to the directions here. After the first rise, spray a 10 × 14-inch/25 × 38 cm light-colored metal baking pan or jelly-roll pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pat the dough evenly into the pan, creating a ½-inch/1.25 cm ridge up all 4 sides of the pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise a second time until puffy, about 45 minutes.
Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
Prepare the topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, sugar, egg, flour, cinnamon or lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth. Sprinkle the blueberries over the risen dough. Pour the sour cream mixture over the top.
Bake until puffed, fragrant, and golden at the edges, 35 to 40 minutes. The center will still appear very loose, but will set upon cooling. Let cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack.
VARIATION:
KOLACHES
Using the same dough as the kuchen, you can create another of the Dakotas’ finest Czech imports, kolaches. After the dough completes its first rise, turn it out onto a floured surface. Line a 12 × 17-inch/30 × 43 cm baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 12 to 15 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a taut ball. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, evenly spaced. Using your palm, flatten each ball into a disk about ½ inch/1.25 cm thick. Cover the sheet pan with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 20 minutes.
Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat it to 350°F/180°C.
Using your thumbs, make an indentation in the center of each pastry, and add a spoonful of the fruit filling of your choice: a small dollop of jam, store-bought fruit filling, or prepared pie filling all work well. In a small cup, beat together 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon of water, and a pinch of fine sea salt until liquefied. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the exposed edges of each pastry with egg wash. (For extra points, mix up a batch of the streusel from the Swedish Flop, here, and sprinkle over the tops.)
Bake until risen and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.