Hungarian Butter Cookies Pogacsa Recipes

POGACSA (HUNGARIAN CHEESE BISCUITS)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine milk, yeast and sugar and let stand until yeast is softened, about 10 minutes.
• Add flour, cheese, salt, eggs, butter, and sour cream to the yeast mixture. Using an electric mixer, mix on low speed until dough comes together. Beat on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes. The dough should be smooth and not sticky.
• Roll dough 1/2 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Make a shallow cross-hatched pattern with the point of a sharp knife over the top of the dough and brush with egg yolk. Sprinkle cheese on top, and cut out rounds with a 1 to 1 1/2 inch cutter.
• Arrange circles in rows on a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 1/4 inch apart. Put pan in a cold oven and set temperature to 400 degrees F. Bake about 25 minutes, until pogacsa are nicely browned on their tops and bottoms. Let cool completely and store airtight.
• Pogacsa may also be frozen up to 1 month. Thaw and reheat at 225 degrees F for 20 minutes.

HUNGARIAN POGACSA RECIPE BY BETTERBUTTER EDITORIAL AT BETTERBUTTER

Steps:

• In a small bowl mix the milk sugar and yeast. Let it stand in a warm place until frothy, almost 15 minutes.
• In a bowl mix together the flour, salt, cheese, butter, egg and the yeast mixture. Bring it all together and add in 1/4 cup of sour cream and knead, adding more sour cream if required. Knead for at least 4 minutes.
• Stretch the dough onto a flat pan like a jelly roll pan and let it sit in a warm corner for about 2 minutes
• Roll the dough again and then cut out circles . Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle cheese.
• Bake at 250 degree centigrade for about 25 minutes. Or until the tops are brown.

CRACKLING SCONES - THE BEST RECIPE FOR A HUNGARIAN CLASSIC

Steps:

• In lukewarm milk dissolve the yeasts with a half teaspoon of sugar. Sift the flour into a bowl add the egg yolk, sour cream, salt and activated yeasts, and knead into a smooth and firm dough.
• On a floured surface roll out the dough into a 5mm thin rectangle. Smear the butter on top of the dough and spread the ground cracklings evenly. Fold up the dough and cover with a kitchen towel. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes roll the dough out again into 5mm rectangle and fold. Repeat this step at least 2 more times.
• Once you folded the dough at least 3 times, roll it out to the 1,5cm thin dough and cut out a circle shape scones. For cutting, I used a metal ring.
• Place the scones on a baking sheet, smear with beaten egg white and sprinkle with cumin seeds and sea salt flakes.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 220°C for about 20 minutes.
• Crackling scones taste the best with a cold beer :) Enjoy :)

HUNGARIAN MINI CHEESE SCONES WITH EMMENTHAL (POGACSA) RECIPE

Steps:

• Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and add all the ingredients one by one whilst keep mixing by hands. If it's still too sticky - add some more flour. If it's too dry, add some more sour cream or creme fraiche. When it's all combined and the dough ball is formed, cover it and place it in the fridge for 2 hours (or overnight).
• Straight out of the fridge, knead the dough a few times and roll it out with a rolling pin. You're looking to get a height of 1.5-2 cm rolled dough. Use a small, 4-5 cm diameter cookie cutter to cut the mini scones.
• Line a baking tray with baking paper and place the scones on the tray leaving a 2-3 cm gap between them. Apply a thin, even coat of egg wash and sprinkle with cheese.In a preheated oven, bake them on 180C until they are soft, golden brown - should be about 20-25 minutes depending on your oven.

TúRóS POGáCSA (HUNGARIAN QUARK POGáCSA)

Steps:

• Place a fine mesh sieve over a large bowl and cover with a cheesecloth or coffee filter. Add the quark and allow to sit for a few hours to overnight in the refrigerator to drain.
• Discard the liquid and place the quark in the large bowl.
• In a medium bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.
• Mix into the quark, then add the butter and salt until a smooth dough comes together. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment or lightly grease.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle just under 1/4 inch (6 millimeters) thick. Starting from the short end, fold the dough over into fourths to create four layers. Turn the dough so the new long side is now facing you. Flour lightly as needed.
• Roll the dough again into a rectangle 1/4 inch (6 millimeters) thick. Fold across into fourths again and turn. Continue to repeat four more times.
• Use a sharp knife to lightly score across the dough in 1/2 inch (1.25 centimeter) apart lines. Score along the other side to create a small square pattern.
• Use a small circular cutter, about 1 1/2-2 inches (4-5 centimeters) across, to cut out as many rounds as close together as you can, taking care not to twist as you press down. Transfer the rounds to prepared baking sheet, 1-2 inches (2.5-5 centimeters) apart.
• Gently brush the tops of the Pogácsák with the beaten egg yolk, being careful to not let it drip down the sides.
• Bake in preheated oven until risen and golden brown, 20-30 minutes.

HUNGARIAN BUTTER COOKIES - POGACSA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in large mixing bowl. Add butter or margarine, and, using clean hands, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg and sour cream, and mix until dough holds together. Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
• Pinch off small egg-size pieces of dough and form into balls. Place on buttered or nonstick cookie sheet, and use fingers to press to about 1/2 inch thick. Make a crosshatch design by pressing the back of fork tines on top of each cookie. Cookies should be spaced about 1-inch apart.
• Bake in oven for about 20 minutes, or until pale golden. Continue baking in batches.
• Serve as a sweet snack.

HUNGARIAN CHEESE BISCUITS (POGáCSA)

Steps:

• To heat the milk, measure it into a 1-cup heatproof glass measure with pouring spout and microwave it for about 20 seconds. The milk should feel nicely warm to a fingertip. Not hot, or you'll kill the yeast! Sprinkle in the yeast and sugar, give a quick stir, and let stand until the liquid rises and is bubbly, about 10 minutes.
• Put the flour and salt into the large bowl of a stand mixer and stir to combine. Attach the flat beater. If using cold butter, add the pieces and mix on low speed for about 3 minutes until the butter is in pea-sized bits. If using frozen shredded butter, just mix it in on low speed for about 1 minute.
• Add the 5 ounces of cheese, the eggs, softened yeast, and 1/2 cup sour cream. Mix on low speed with the flat beater until the dough masses on the blade. If the dough seems dry, add a bit more sour cream. Beat on medium speed 1 minute. The dough should be nice and smooth and non-sticky.
• If making the dough by hand, stir everything together with a wooden spoon until the dough gathers into a coherent mass. Add more sour cream if the dough seems too dry.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. If you've made it by hand, knead briefly to make sure it is nice and smooth and non-sticky. If made with the mixer, just coat it lightly with the flour.
• Line a large baking sheet (17 x 12 inches) with cooking parchment. Adjust an oven rack to the lower third position but do not turn the oven on. NOTE: This is what I do according to Marika's directions. If your oven takes a long time to heat up, preheat the oven to 400 degrees before baking the biscuits, and check for doneness 15 to 20 minutes from the time you put the biscuits in the oven.
• Roll the dough 1/2-inch-thick (no thinner!) on the lightly floured surface. An 11- to 12-inch diameter circle will give you the right thickness. Make a shallow cross-hatched pattern, about 1/2-inch, with a sharp knife all over the dough surface.
• For the topping, combine the egg yolk and water in a small bowl, and brush all over the rolled dough. Sprinkle the cheese on top and press it very gently to stick to the yolk.
• With a floured cutter, stamp out rounds with a 1 1/2- to 1 3/4-inch diameter. If the biscuits stick to the cutter, nudge them loose with the tip of a paring knife. If you wish, cup the palms of your hands around each biscuit to smooth the sides. Gather the leftover dough and reshape into a ball. Roll out and cut our circles as before. I don't bother glazing them with egg yolk or topping with cheese because these ingredients are mixed into the dough during reshaping of the scraps.
• Arrange the biscuits in rows about 1/2-inch apart on the baking sheet. Put the pan in the oven and turn the oven on to 400 degrees. Bake about 25 minutes, until the pogácsa are nicely browned on their tops and bottoms. Cool completely and store airtight.
• Pogácsa may also be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw and reheat in a moderate oven for 5 to 8 minutes to refresh them.