Czech Kolaches - Kolace

Ingredients

- 4 1/2  cup of flour
- 2 packages of Active Dry Yeast
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1/2 cup of warm water
- 3/4 cup of butter
- 1/2  cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 4 egg yolks

Directions

1. Put yeast into warm water and stir to dissolve and bubbles (about 10 minutes).
2. Mix together butter, sugar, salt and egg yolks until light and fluffy.  Add yeast mixture,
milk and 2  cups of  flour.  Beat at medium speed 5 minutes. Batter should be smooth.
3. Stir in all remaining flour to make a soft dough.
4. Place in bowl and grease the top.  Cover and let rise in warm
place until doubled, 1 to 1 hour 30 minutes.
5. Stir down and turn onto lightly floured board and divide into 15 - 25 equal balls (depends on size you like). 6. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes. Place dough balls 2" apart on baking sheets.
7. Press each ball of dough from center outward with fingers of both
hands to make a hollow in center with a 1/2" rim around the edge.
8. Fill each hollow with 1 tablespoon filling.  Cover and let rise in warm place until
doubled (30 - 40 minutes).
9. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until brown.
10. Brush tops of kolaches lightly with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with sugar powder.
11. Remove from baking sheets and place on racks.

Filling

Prunes:
1. Cook 30 prunes in water to cover until tender.
2. Drain and mash with fork;
3. Stir in 1/4 cup of sugar. Filling should be thick.
Makes enough for 15 kolaches.

Apricots:
1. Cook 30 dried apricots in water to cover until tender.
2. Drain and press apricots through strainer.
3. Stir in 1/4  cup of sugar.  Filling should be thick.
4. Makes enough filling for 15 kolaches.

Poppy seed filling:

1. One cup of milled poppy seeds boil with 8 fl. oz of milk

2. Stir continuously till thick mix.

3. Zest half of a lemon and add to mix, together with 2 tablespoon of sugar, and ground cinnamon.

4. Makes enough filling for 10 kolaches.