APRICOT KOLACKY

Apricot Kolacky image

This is a Danish bun version of Kolacky, a delicious pastry. Use your own favorite sweet dough recipe instead of this particular one, if you prefer. You can make or use any kind of filling you like, or make a variety. You can use canned pie filling, or use Solo pastry fillings. Solo has some very good fillings....raspberry,...

Provided by Crystal ~

Time 3h30m

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

2 (¼ ounce) packages of active dry yeast
1½ cups water (hot to the touch from the tap)
½ cup vegetable oil, or 1/2 cup butter, melted
½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup powdered milk
3 cups all-purpose flour
2½-3 cups bread flour
1 (12.5 ounce) can solo apricot pastry filling
1 egg, beaten for brushing on the pastries
glaze:
1-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk or water
½ teaspoon white vanilla

Steps:

1. Grease a large bowl with shortening set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add first 6 ingredients and mix on low to medium speed for about 2 minutes.
3. Add the all-purpose flour and powdered milk; beat for 2 minutes more. Stir in the bread flour and mix well. (You may need to add a little more flour if the batter is too sticky).
4. Add the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough for about 10 minutes.
5. Form the dough into a smooth ball and place it into the greased bowl, turning the dough over so that both sides are greased. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled; approximately 1-2 hours depending on the warmth of the area.
6. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
7. Punch down the dough. Divide the dough in half.
8. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the dough to ¼ inches thick. Use a glass or a cookie cutter that is 3-4 inches in diameter and cut out rounds of dough as closely as possible so there will not be much dough left over. Note: Do not re-roll left over dough. It will make the pastry tough.
9. Place cut-out rounds onto the parchment lined cookie sheets about 1-2 inches apart. Cover with a towel and let sit in a warm place for about 40-45 minutes.
10. Repeat with the other half of dough.
11. Make a well or depression in the center of each piece of dough round. I use the back of a rounded cookie scooper or you can use your fingers to make a small well. Fill each indent with 1 Tablespoon of apricot filling.
12. Brush around the tops and sides of the pastry with 1 beaten egg. Set in a warm place and let rise for another 15-20 minutes; uncovered.
13. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
14. Bake kolacky at 325 degrees for approximately 25-30 minutes.
15. Remove pastries from baking sheets and cool on racks. Drizzle glaze over the kolacky, while warm but, not hot.
16. Glaze: Stir milk into sugar and mix until creamy. Add vanilla. Drizzle over pastries. You can add more confectioners' sugar to make it thicker, or thin it with a little milk or water.