Laminated Cheese Scones (Sajtos Pogácsa)

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic Hungarian flavor: tender, yeasted scones with a buttery laminated lift and a shower of melted Trappista.
• Beautiful layers and crosshatched tops that bake up puffed, burnished, and irresistibly cheesy.
• Perfect make-ahead dough and freezer-friendly, so warm bites are always minutes away.
• Simple, home cook–friendly lamination (two quick folds) for bakery-level results.

Grocery List

• Produce: Optional chives for serving (not traditional, but nice for color)
• Dairy: Whole milk, sour cream, unsalted butter, Trappista cheese, eggs
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, instant yeast, fine salt, sugar

Full Ingredients

For the Dough

• 500 g all-purpose flour (about 4 cups), plus extra for dusting
• 7 g instant yeast (2¼ tsp)
• 10 g fine salt (1¾ tsp)
• 8 g sugar (2 tsp)
• 160 ml whole milk, lukewarm (38°C/100°F)
• 200 g full-fat sour cream (¾ cup), at room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 50 g unsalted butter, softened
• 50 g Trappista cheese, finely grated (about 1 generous cup, finely shredded)

For Lamination and Filling

• 150 g unsalted butter, very soft but not melted (for spreading in two folds)
• 80 g Trappista cheese, finely grated (for inside the folds)

For Shaping and Topping

• 1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk (egg wash)
• 120 g Trappista cheese, finely grated (for topping)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make a soft, enriched dough

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, salt, and sugar. Add the lukewarm milk, sour cream, egg, and 50 g softened butter. Mix with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms, then knead by hand 5–6 minutes (or with a mixer on medium-low 3–4 minutes) until smooth and slightly tacky. Knead in 50 g finely grated Trappista just until evenly dispersed.

Step 2: First rise

Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise at room temperature for 45 minutes. It should relax and look slightly puffy; it doesn’t need to double.

Step 3: First fold with butter

Lightly flour your work surface. Roll the dough into a 30×40 cm rectangle (about 12×16 inches). Spread 75 g of very soft butter evenly over the bottom two-thirds of the rectangle, leaving a 1 cm border. Fold the unbuttered top third down over the center, then the bottom third up over that (a letter fold). Rotate the dough 90 degrees, transfer to a tray, cover, and chill 15 minutes to relax and firm slightly.

Step 4: Second fold with butter and cheese

Roll the dough again to 30×40 cm. Spread the remaining 75 g butter over the bottom two-thirds. Sprinkle 80 g finely grated Trappista evenly over the buttered area. Fold again like a letter, rotate 90 degrees, cover, and chill 15 minutes.

Step 5: Final roll, score, and cut

Roll the dough to an even 1.8 cm (¾ inch) thickness. With a sharp knife, lightly score a shallow crosshatch pattern over the entire surface (just the top skin, not all the way through). Using a 4 cm (1½ inch) round cutter, dip in flour and stamp out rounds close together. Gently gather scraps, press (don’t knead) together, and cut more. You should have about 40 pieces.

Step 6: Egg wash, rest, and top with cheese

Arrange the rounds on parchment-lined baking sheets, 2–3 cm apart. Brush with egg wash and let rest 15 minutes to slightly puff. Brush a second time for extra sheen, then sprinkle the tops generously with the remaining 120 g grated Trappista. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F (fan 200°C/390°F).

Step 7: Bake until puffed and burnished

Bake for 14–16 minutes, rotating the trays once, until the pogácsa are well risen with visible layers, and the tops are deep golden with melted, toasty cheese. The bottoms should be set and lightly browned.

Step 8: Serve hot

Cool 5 minutes on the tray, then serve warm when the layers are flaky and the cheese is still melty. They’re at their peak right out of the oven.

Pro Tips

• Use very soft, spreadable butter for the folds; if it’s too firm, it will tear the dough, and if it’s melted, it will seep out.
• Keep the dough cool and don’t skip the 15-minute rests; they relax gluten and help define the layers.
• Score lightly—only the top skin—so the crosshatch opens prettily without deflating the dough.
• Brush egg wash twice for maximum shine and color; the second brush right before the cheese helps it stick.
• Trappista substitutes: young Gouda or Monterey Jack (mild, meltable, not aged) if you can’t source Trappista.

Variations

• Caraway & Pepper: Add ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper to the dough and 1 tsp lightly crushed caraway seeds sprinkled on top with the cheese.
• Herb-Flecked: Fold 2 tbsp finely chopped chives or parsley into the dough with the first 50 g of cheese.
• Smoky Cheese: Replace 60 g of the topping cheese with smoked cheese (smoked Trappista or smoked Gouda) for a rustic aroma.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Baked pogácsa keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day; rewarm 5–7 minutes at 180°C/350°F to refresh. For longer storage, freeze baked and cooled pogácsa up to 2 months; reheat from frozen at 180°C/350°F for 8–10 minutes. To make ahead, refrigerate the cut, egg-washed rounds (without topping cheese) up to 12 hours; top with cheese and bake straight from the fridge, adding 1–2 minutes.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate per pogácsa (1 of 40): 115 kcal; 7 g fat; 11 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 0.5 g fiber; 220 mg sodium. Values are estimates and will vary with exact ingredients and size.