Christmas Kolaches

kolaches

My mother-in-law was famous for her kolaches.  This recipe does a good job of replicating her scrumptious treats. My family expects them every Christmas morning. Hope I'm not in trouble...I just made cherry-filled this year.

2 cups milk

Heat milk to 120°. Add butter and allow to soften.

1/2 cup butter

Add sugar and salt.

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

Put flour in bowl, add yeast.

4 cups flour

5 teaspoons instant dry yeast

Pour in milk mixture, stir and add eggs.

3 egg yolks

Add flour as needed.

1 cups potato flour

1 cup or less of additional all-purpose flour

Knead until smooth and let rise until double. Knead 10 more times and shape into 1 1/2 ounce balls on greased cookie sheet. Makes 30.

1 or 2 large cans pie filling:  cherry and/or blueberry

Drain excess filling from fruit by placing it in a strainer.  Season each filling with ½ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Flatten centers of the kolaches with thumb (make a good size hole) and fill with fruit filling. Let rise until double in size. Brush tops with melted butter.

Top with kolache crumble:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Cut ingredients together to make crumble and sprinkle on kolaches just before baking. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. You can also stuff with little smokies sausages instead of fruit filling. 



Let kolaches rise.



Ice with glaze when cooked.

Glaze:
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup cream (or enough to make smooth glaze)

Betty is ready to get off her feet!

After two shifts at IHop, Betty is just grateful to be sitting down and listening to some of her favorite 45's. The tips are getting better the closer it gets to Christmas.  She is hoping to make enough extra to give her mother, Jolene a new coffee maker. These delicious kolaches demand a really good cup of coffee or hot chocolate.