Polish Kolaches

I must be ready for Spring and Easter because I've been feeling like making Polish food. I guess to be fair to both sides of the family, I should investigate what is prepared in Wales and Scotland for Easter but somehow, holidays bring out the Polish in me. So, today I made kolaches for my family and neighbors.

I've decided that I am the worst food blogger on the planet. I know I certainly take the worst food pics of the recipes I make. These are the kolaches before they are filled and baked.

And these are the kolaches just after they are baked. It seems that once again I forgot to take pics of a few important steps.

I like to drizzle a bit of thin icing over the top.

People fill these with all sorts of fillings, especially fruit. I made cherry pie filling for mine.

I made about 6 dozen.

A third of them were filled with a lemony cream cheese filling. These become stale very quickly so you must eat as many as you can as soon as they are ready and then freeze the rest. It works out well because you can take them out and defrost them as needed.

The Recipe:

2¼ teaspoons yeast (I use rapid rise)

1 cup warm milk

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

6 T. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp grated lemon zest

4 C. bread flour

To brush the tops:

1 egg

1 T. cream

Whisk this together.

For the cheese filling:

16 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Mix together until smooth .
Cherry Pie Filling:
1/2 C. sugar
1/4 C. cornstarch
4 C. sour pitted cherries (you can use canned)
1 tsp. almond extract
Bring to a low boil and stir until thickened. Cool.
Instructions:
In a measuring cup, dissolve the yeast in ¼ cup milk. In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the remaining milk, butter, eggs, sugar, salt, and zest. Blend in 1½ cups flour. Gradually add enough of the remaining flour to make a workable dough. Knead the dough until smooth and springy, about 5 minutes. Place it in a buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate it overnight. The next morning, place the dough in a warm place to rise, about 2 hours. Place the risen dough on a lightly floured counter and cut it into 10-12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball and place on a parchment covered sheet pan. Press each ball downinto a flatened disk about 1/4 inch thick. Let these rise until puffy, about 40 minutes. Press the middle down using the bottom of a 1/4 cup measuring cup and brush each roll with the egg wash. Place your filling of choice in the center, about a heaping tablespoon full. Bake the rolls at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes or until they start to turn golden around the edges. Remove them from the cookie sheets and place them on cooling racks. Drizzle them with a light icing made using confectioners sugar and cream or milk.