Recipe: Kolache with Fruit, Cottage Cheese, or Poppy Seed Fillings (using yeast and mashed potatoes)

KOLACHE WITH FRUIT, COTTAGE CHEESE,
OR POPPY SEED FILLINGS

1 cup scalded milk
1 cup fresh mashed potatoes (no milk)
2/3 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cake fresh yeast or 1 pkg. dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
2 eggs, beaten
About 6 cups flour
Filling (recipes follows)
Topping (optional) (recipe follows)

The dough needs to be slightly sticky. I go by the feel.

Put scalded milk, mashed potatoes butter, sugar, and salt into a pan and heat until lukewarm.

Add beaten eggs. Stir in the yeast which has been softened in the lukewarm water and the flour. Stir to make a soft dough. (Be careful not to use too much flour as the flour will make kolaches tough.) Let rise until double in bulk.

Mix down and place into refrigerator if you wish, I don't. I go ahead and divide dough into same portions and roll into small balls (about 60). Place on greased cookie sheets, (don't crowd them) and brush with melted butter. Let rise until light.

Make deep indentations with finger and fill with prepared filling. Let rise about 10 to 15 minutes. If desired, add Topping (recipe follows).

Bake in preheated 400 degree F oven until lightly browned. Watch closely as kolaches have to bake from the bottom, 12 to 15 minutes. Brush with melted butter.

TOPPING FOR KOLACHE:
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter

Mix together above topping ingredients. Press 1/2 teaspoon or more on top of filling before baking.

FOR THE FILLING:
Any fruit such as prune, poppy seed, cottage cheese, cherry pie filling. Also peach or apricot.

FRUIT FILLING:
Cook 2 pounds dry fruit in enough water to cover until tender. Drain and mash well. Add 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional).

COTTAGE CHEESE FILLING:
My favorite.

1 tbsp. butter
1 lb. dried sweet cottage cheese
2 egg yolks
1/2 c. golden raisins
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. mace

Cream butter, add remaining ingredients. Use prepared topping on kolaches using cottage cheese filling.

POPPY SEED FILLING:
1 lb. ground poppy seed
2 tbsp. flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup milk
4 tbsp. butter or margarine
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Cook together until thick, adding a little more water if mixture gets too thick. You may purchase ready made poppy seed filling, apricot and prune. More expensive but delicious.

From: Creighton
Adapted from a community cookbook (unknown title)