Kolaches

By Tamipri

Ingredients

• Dough:
• 2 c. milk
• 1 pkg. active dry yeast
• 1/2 c. lukewarm water, (110-115 degrees)
• 1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 c. sugar
• 2 tsp. salt
• 8 1/2 c. flour
• Poppy Seed Filling:
• 2 oz. poppy seeds
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 Tb. Lyle's Golden Syrup, or light corn syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• Streusel Topping:
• 1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 3 Tb. chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Details

Servings 16

Preparation

Step 1

To make the dough: Warm the milk in a medium saucepan set over medium heat until it begins to steam and form a skin; do not boil. Cool for 10-15 minutes until it registers 110-115 degrees on a candy thermometer. Dissolve the yeas in the lukewarm water and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Melt the butter in the microwave and let cool for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, salt and melted butter. Add the cooled milk and the yeast mixture. Gradually add the flour to the batter, 2 c. at a time. Use your hands or a wooden spoon to mix the flour with the wet ingredients. Keep adding the flour until it is completely incorporated and the dough begins to hold together. Use a light touch; don't pound or overwork the dough or you'll get tough kolaches. The dough will be sticky, moist, and light. Lightly grease a large bowl with vegetable oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place util doubled in size, 1-2 hours (a dent should remain when the dough is touched lightly). Leaving the dough in the bowl, punch it down until it deflates (1-2 punches with your fist will do). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

To make the poppy seed filling: Combine the poppy seeds and milk in a medium saucepan. Cook at medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring frequently; do not let the mixture simmer or boil. Add the sugar, syrup, vanilla and salt; cook on medium-low heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes before filling the kolaches.

Grease a 12x 17" baking sheet with butter or cooking spray. With lightly oiled fingertips, shape the dough into 2 1/2" diameter balls, about the size of small limes. Arrange the balls evenly on the baking sheet, 3 across and 6 down. To fill the kolaches, use your thumb or finger to make a generous indentation in the middle of each dough ball, being sure not to pierce the bottom of the dough. Mound about 1 heaping tsp. of poppy seed filling in the indentation. Cover the rolls with a clean towel and let the rolls rise in a warm, draft-free place until almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

To make the streusel topping: Use your hands or food processor fitted with a metal blade to mix the flour, sugar, and butter until crumbly. Scatter the topping over the kolaches just before baking. Bake the kolaches until lightly browned on top, 25-30 minutes. Cool the kolaches for 20 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

For cheese-filled kolaches: Combine one 14 oz. carton dry-curd cottage cheese with 1/4 c. sugar, the grated zest of 1 lemon, 1 tsp. vanilla, and 2 egg yolks. Make the kolaches as directed above. Substitute the cheese filling for the poppy seed fillinig.

For peach-filled kolaches: Combine 2 c. pitted, chopped peaches with 1 c. good-quality peach jam, such as Fischer and Wieser, in a medium bowl. Sub for the poppy seed filling.