Kolaches

Kolaches

Yields 18 large buns (or 27 smaller buns)

Dough:

2 cups milk

1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast

1/2 cup lukewarm water (110°F to 115°F)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted & cooled

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons salt

8 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 batch of filling (see recipes below)

Streusel Topping:

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

For the Dough: Warm the milk in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Heat just until it starts to steam and a skin is formed – do not simmer or boil. Take off the heat and allow to cool slightly – to about 110°F - 115°F. Meanwhile, dissolve the yeast in the water. Let it sit until it is foamy. If yeast doesn’t foam, discard and start over.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, salt and melted butter. Add in milk and the yeast mixture. Add in the flour, 2 cups at a time, making sure not to overwork the dough. Keep adding flour until it is fully incorporated. The dough should be sticky, moist and light.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a draft-free place and allow to rise until doubled, 1 to 2 hours. Punch down the dough, recover, and refrigerate the dough for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Grease a 12×17 inch baking sheet. With lightly oiled fingers, shape dough into balls – about 2 1/2 inches in diameter, about the size of small limes. Arrange the balls on the baking sheet – 3 across and 6 down. (I actually make mine 4 across and 5 down and use an extra cookie sheet for the remaining kolaches). Gently flatten balls of dough.

For the Filling: Make filling of choice (see recipes below). Use your thumb to make a generious indentation in each dough round. Fill each indentation with filling mixture, a heaping Tablespoon or two depending upon the size of your kolaches. Cover the tray with a clean tea towel and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

For the Streusel: Meanwhile, to make the topping, use your hands, a food processor or a pastry cutter to mix the topping ingredients until crumbly. Scatter the topping over the kolaches right before they go into the oven. (Yes it seems like a lot of streusel, but don’t be shy!)

Bake the kolaches until lightly browned – about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve warm (or at room temperature).

Peach Kolache Filling

2 cups pitted, chopped peaches

1 cup good quality peach jam

Mix together the peaches and peach jam. Follow recipe above as directed.

Cream Cheese Kolache Filling

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup sugar

Zest of one lemon

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Beat all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Follow recipe above as directed.

Sausage & Cheese Kolaches

~ 1 1/4 lb Smoked Sausage (highly recommend using a Jalapeno sausage)

~ 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Follow directions for dough. Press dough into 5 inch circles. In center of rounds, add 1 Tbsp shredded cheese and medium-sized smoked sausage. Enclose sausage and cheese, pigs-in-a-blanket style. Place seam-side down on baking sheets. Allow to rise in a warm place ~1 hour. Bake as directed above.