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–+ servings

Kiflice - Balkan-style Crescent Rolls

Aida
Soft, pillowy crescent rolls filled with your choice of sweet or savory fillings.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Dough + Crescent Resting Time in Between 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Course Breads & Pastries
Cuisine Bosnian, Croatian, Kosovan, Serbian
Servings 12
Calories 420 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 8 cups all-purpose flour plus a little more
  • 2 cups lukewarm milk the volume vary to be a little bit less or a little bit more
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 3.4 ounces vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 2-7 gram bags, avoid instant yeast
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • filling of choice Sweet: jam (raspberry, fig, orange, etc.), Nutella, chocolate, nuts, candied fruit, preserves, etc. Savory: ham, cheese (feta, cottage, Ricotta, mozzarella, etc.), cured meats, ajvar, etc.
  • 2 egg yolks add a pinch of water
  • (Optional) 1-2 tablespoons seeds sesame or poppy

Instructions
 

  • Activate Yeast. Combine dry yeast and sugar with a little bit of milk. Wait 7-10 minutes, or until the yeast activates (starts to foam).
  • Knead the Dough. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture. Then slowly add in milk, yogurt, oil, and eggs as you start to work the dough. Knead until you get a smooth, firm, elastic dough ball.
  • Let the Dough Rise. Cover with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 1-2 hours at room temperature, or until it doubles in size. Don't hurry this step.
  • TIP: If you have the time, it's best to leave the dough in the fridge overnight covered in saran wrap. When ready to make kiflice, take it out and let it come to room temperature before continuing the steps below.
  • Divide the Dough. Punch the dough down. Transfer to a working space sprinkled with flour. Divide the dough into 5 equal balls. Knead each ball for a minute or two.
  • Create Kiflice 'Slices.' Choose one ball and using a rolling pin, roll it into a circle approximately 12-13inches (30-33cm). Using a pizza wheel, or a sharp knife, cut the circle into 16 small wedges.
  • Shape Kiflice. Take a teaspoon, and fill each wedge ("slice") with filling at the wider part towards the top. (Don't overstuff it as the filling may completely ooze out during baking.) Roll the wedge from the wide part to the thin, and gently shape into a crescent. Place on parchment paper in your baking pan.
  • Repeat. Repeat the process until all of the dough is filled and shaped into crescents/ kiflice.
  • Proof Last Time. Let kiflice rest for 45-60 minutes in the baking pan. (You may have to use two.) Preheat oven to 395° (200°C)during the last 15 minutes.
  • Paint Kiflice. Using a brush, paint kiflice with egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds.
  • Bake Kiflice. Bake crescents for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown.
  • Serve with warm Bosnian coffee, tea, instead of bread with a main course, or as a snack any time of day.
    Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.
    Reheat in the oven for a few minutes to restore softness.

Notes

  • Nutritional and Serving Information
Nutritional information was calculated with ChatGPT using 6 kiflice crescents filled with strawberry jam as the serving size. Please note this is a rough estimate that will greatly depend on your fillings, and how many rolls you really end up eating.

Nutrition

Serving: 6kifliceCalories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 10.5gFat: 10.4gSaturated Fat: 2.67gFiber: 2.17g
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