Recipe - Kolaches (Kolacky)

1 cup Warm water
2 pack Dry yeast
One half cup Sugar
One half teaspoon Salt
1 cup Butter
1 cup Cold water
2 Eggs
6 cup Flour
Fillings (see below)

Place 1 c. warm water in large bowl (Tupperware is best); add yeast, sugar,
and salt. Melt butter in pan. When melted add 1 c. cold water and pour into
yeast solution. Add eggs; mix well. Add 2 c. flour; mix well and then add 4
more cups flour, beating well after each cup. Cover bowl tightly and place
in refrigerator overnight or at least 4 5 hours. Grease cookie sheets.
Roll dough into walnutsized balls. Place on prepared cookie sheet 1 inch
apart. Grease the tops of the balls and let raise in a warm place until
double in size. When balls have risen; make indentation in middle and fill
with about a teaspoon of filling. Let raise until spongy, about 20 minutes.
Bake at 425F for 5 6 minutes or until lightly browned. Kolaches may be
sprinkled with powdered sugar after removing from oven.

Fillings (thanks to Mrs. Albert Soukup, Sr.) These are the traditional
fillings for kolaches.

Poppyseed Filling: Bring to a boil 2 c. of milk or water. Stir in One half lb.
ground poppyseed. Let simmer 20 min., stirring frequently. Add Three fourths c.
suger, 1 TBS. white corn syrup, and One fourth tsp. salt. Simmer a few minutes
longer. Remove from heat and add One half tsp. almond extract, 2 TBS. butter, 1
tps. vanilla, and 2 crushed graham crackers.

Prune Filling: Cook 1 lb. dried prunes until soft. Drain; remove pits. Mash
and add One half c. sugar, One half tsp. cinnamon and a little vanilla.

Apricot Filling: Soak 1 pkg. dried apricots overnight in water, just enough
to cover. Cook until soft; if any water remains, drain well. Mash, adding
sugar to taste.

Recipe by: St. Ludmila Church Cookbook Posted to BakeryShoppe Digest V1
#176 by Sharon Raghavachary schary@earthlink.net on Jul 31, 1997