Kolaches

Ingredients

• 0.5 pound butter at room temperature ()
• 2  egg yolk 
• 3 cups flour 
• 2 cups milk 
• 1 can poppy seeds 
• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 0.5 cup shortening 
• 10 ounces sugar 
• 0.5 cup water 
• 2  yeast 

Equipment

• sauce pan
• oven
• blender
• baking pan

Directions

1. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over the yeast and dissolve in lukewarm water. Set aside.
2. Heat the milk in a small saucepan and dissolve the shortening in it. Cool to lukewarm; then add salt, egg yolks, and sugar.
3. Combine milk/egg mixture and yeast mixture.
4. Add flour gradually andwork dough by hand or with a mixer until glossy. Keep it a little sticky, if possible.Cover, place in a warm, draft-free place, and let rise until doublein size, 45 minutes to one hour.After the dough has risen, punch it down and knead lightly. Divide into egg-sized portions with a spoon and form balls.
5. Place on well-oiled baking pans about an inch apart and butter well.
6. Let rise about 15 minutes, then make indentations in the dough balls for the filling. Fill each indention with a large teaspoon filling. Make the Popsika with by combining 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons of melted butter until the mixture resembles crumbs.
7. Sprinkle the Popsika over the filling.
8. Place pans of kolache in a warm, draft free place, and allow todouble in size again, about 45 minutes to one hour.
9. Place in an oven preheated to 375 degrees.
10. Bake until golden brown, then remove the kolaches from the oven. Cool slightly, remove from pans, and cool on wire racks.