Sourdough Plum Kolache and a Recipe for Sourdough Rich Dough (Suitable for Sweetened Buns)

 

Last week I mentioned that I had pulled my sourdough starter out of the fridge to see if it had any viability in it after sitting untouched for 3 1/2 years. And it did. I used it to make these plum kolache buns.

I used almost a full half-pint jar of plum jam in the topping. I also added some crumb topping on top of the plum. The next time I make these, I will spread the dough rounds out thinner and use a full jar of jam and a lot more crumb topping.

We all thought these were quite good. I used a rich sourdough dough for these, one that works well for cinnamon rolls as well as fruity buns. This recipe was passed on to me by the lady who gave me my first sourdough starter 35 years ago. I watched a bunch of YouTube videos on making sourdough kolache and sourdough cinnamon buns, but I chose this particular recipe because it didn't call for as much butter or sugar as the recipes I saw online. So, I'll share this, for those of you who like to use sourdough starter in baking.

Sourdough Rich Dough

3/4 cup active starter

1 cup milk (I used soy milk)

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup soft butter

3 tablespoons sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Stir sourdough starter, milk, and 2 cups of the flour together in a large non-metallic bowl. Cover and let stand in a warm place overnight.

The next morning beat the soft butter, 3 tablespoons sugar and egg together until well blended. beat into the sourdough mixture. Stir together the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then combine with the wet mixture.

Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and satiny, and doesn't stick to the surface.

Form into chosen roll shapes, fill (if needed), place on buttered baking sheet, and allow to rise until doubled in size. Bake at 375 degrees F until golden (somewhere around 30-35 minutes, depending on roll size and shape).

I made 12 buns with my kolache using this dough. My plan to spread the dough thinner next time and use more jam includes making 16 buns instead of 12, as these were very filling in the size I baked. For kolache, I rolled balls then flattened into circles, making the center of each circle thinner than the sides. I then filled each with the jam. After allowing to rise util doubled, I sprinkled crumb topping over each before popping into the oven to bake. The powdered sugar adds a nice finishing touch and just a hint of additional sweetness.

Menu Plan for a Week With Appointments

Brussel sprouts leaves in the late winter
garden in my growing zone can be sliced
 thin and sautéed, then steamed as a side dish.

I have a couple of days this week with afternoon appointments. So I've had to think of meals I could make ahead or with less time. 

Tuesday afternoon I have a less-than-pleasant dental appointment. It's not the next "big" appointment, but I will likely feel wrung out by the time it's over. I'll still have to make dinner when I come home. Here's my plan. I made a soup today, Monday, that I can heat and serve along with garlic toast with minimal effort on Tuesday. 

Thursday, again I'll be out of the house for several hours in the afternoon and will need something quick to make. I have a tub of extra firm tofu in the fridge that I can work with. Tofu is great for quick meals, as it only needs heating through, no lengthy cooking. I'm thinking about how to prepare it. Rice takes a while to cook, so perhaps noodles, like a lo mein. I can add fresh and frozen vegetables at near the last minute. What would you fix using tofu as the base and if limited in preparation time?

Here's the meal plan for the week.

Monday (daughter's night)
Beef and vegetable stir fry over brown rice

Tuesday (my dental appt day)
Hummus soup
Garlic toast

Wednesday (other daughter's night)
Meatloaf
Mashed potatoes

Canned green beans

Tomato and cucumber salad

Thursday (other busy afternoon)

Tofu-based meal, lo mein perhaps?

Friday
Pepperoni, olive, and green pepper pizza

Sautéed Brussel sprout greens, onion, and garlic

Spiced apple chunks

Weekend Dinners:

Vegetarian enchiladas with chunks of fresh tomatoes and avocados one night and a leftover meal the other

Other meals and snacks:

Later on the week I'll bake something for the family. Right now, we're working on a pumpkin snack cake that I baked yesterday afternoon. Hopefully that will last for snacking through most of tomorrow. They rest of the meals will be catch as catch can for everyone. I won't have time or energy to prepare stuff ahead for our household. Some weeks just have to be that way, I guess. But still I feel a little bit guilty not doing more for the bunch, simply because I have other stuff going on.