Recipe: Czechoslovakian Kolache Cookies

CZECHOSLOVAKIAN KOLACHE COOKIES

FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH:
1/2 cup milk
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast*
1 cup butter, cold
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
FOR THE FILLING:
1/2 cup cherry preserves (or your favorite flavor preserves)**
1 egg, well beaten
FOR THE GLAZE:
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon almond extract***

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two or three cookie sheets.

TO PREPARE THE DOUGH:
In a 1-quart saucepan, heat milk until it just comes to a boil; let cool to warm (105 to 115 degrees F).

Using a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pour in the flour; salt and sugar. Pulse to combine dry ingredients completely.

Cut the butter into small chunks and, with the machine running rapidly, drop in the chunks a few at a time so that flour and butter cut together, forming a mixture with a consistency like coarse crumbs.

Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Add milk mixture to the flour mixture. With the food processor running, pour in the milk mixture and process (pulse on-off) only until dough comes away from sides of the work bowl.

TO ROLL, FILL THE DOUGH:
Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll-out half the dough to between 1/8- and 1/4-inch thickness (as thin as possible). Cut dough into 3-inch squares. Place about 1 teaspoon preserves or other filling in center of each square. Bring together the four corners of each square; pinch to hold together.

Place kolaches on greased cookie sheets; lightly brush each with beaten egg. Bake from 10 to 15 minutes, until puffy and golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets immediately; cool completely on wire rack.

TO FREEZE:
At this point you can arrange the unglazed kolaches in a resealable freezer container, with sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap between each layer. Cover tightly (leave as little space between cookies and lid as possible) and freeze for up to two months. Decorate with glaze (recipe follows) before serving.

TO GLAZE THE COOKIES:
In a small bowl, stir together the glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over the cookies.

*If you are using the "rapid-rise" variety of yeast, stir it in with the dry ingredients. You should then cool the scalded milk to about 120 degrees F.

**In testing the recipe we used apricot-pineapple preserves, and half were filled with canned poppy-seed filling. Try other favorite canned (or homemade) fillings. You may prefer to fill the kolaches more generously; if so, you'll need more than 1/2 cup.

***While the almond extract is compatible with the cherry filling, you may prefer to use other extracts (or plain vanilla) for glazing kolaches with other fillings.

Makes 2 dozen cookies
Adapted from source: Orange County Register - November 11, 1993