Food - Drink
The Best Type Of Fillings For Polish Kołaczki
By AUTUMN SWIERS
Kołaczki are classic Polish treats, a firm, flaky cream cheese- and butter-based cookie folded around a fruity center. These cookies may be filled with nuts, sweet cheese, poppy seeds, or preserves like apricot, prune, or raspberry, but when making them at home, don't reach for a generic jar of runny and liquidy jam.
Runnier jams and preserves don't give kołaczki enough structure, so instead, look for fillings specifically designated for cakes and pastries. These pastes, preserves, and jellies come in many flavors, but they all tend to be thicker in consistency, meaning they're less likely to bubble and seep out of the cookies during baking.
Alternatively, you can use canned fruit fillings, or thicken your favorite jam with a mixture of cornstarch and water. If you're in a pinch and want to make an easier version of kołaczki, Pillsbury recommends combining fruit preserves and sweet cheese for a filling that's naturally rich and thick without much tampering.