POPPY SEED KOLACHE

Poppy Seed Kolache image

My father gets a faraway look in his eyes when he remembers his Minnesota Czech grandmother's poppy seed pastries. Called "kolache" (koh-LAH-chee), "kolacky" (koh-LAH-kee), or how my dad pronounces it, koh-LAH-chkey, these Czechoslovakian yeast-based pastries can be filled with any sweet pie or pastry filling. Dad loves poppy seed filling, and armed with an old Better Homes and Gardens recipe, he set out to recreate the kolaches of his childhood. I think he was successful (after quadrupling the filling to dough ratio in the recipe), so much so that the day after making and eating these, he announced that he had gained 2 pounds, prompting him to give up dessert for two whole days. (Please God, in my next life, could I have my father's metabolism?) My father makes these kolaches with canned poppy seed filling. If you want, you can make the filling from scratch; I've included a filling recipe that I found online.

Provided by @MakeItYours

Number Of Ingredients 20

Ingredients

4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon ground mace or ground nutmeg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Canned poppy seed filling (or make your own*)
Raisins (optional)
1 egg
1 Tbsp milk
1 cup poppy seed
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup chopped dates
1/3 cup chopped nuts
Dash of cinnamon

Steps:

In a large mixing bowl combine 2 cups of the flour, the yeast, and nutmeg or mace; set aside.
In a medium saucepan heat and stir the 1 cup milk, the 1/2 cup butter, the granulated sugar, and salt just until warm (120 degree F to 130 degree F) and butter almost melts. Add milk mixture to dry mixture along with the two eggs and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping side of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in lemon zest and as much of the remaining flour as you can.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes total). Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease the surface. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double in size (for 1 to 1-1/2 hours).
If you are making the poppy seed filling from scratch, combine the filling ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over low heat until it thickens, stirring often. Set filling aside to cool.
Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Grease 2 baking sheets.
Roll each dough half into a 16x8 inch rectangle, about an 1/8 inch thick. Cut each rectangle into 8 4x4 squares. Place a large, heaping tablespoon of poppy seed filling onto the center of each square. If you want, add a few raisins to the top of the filling. Brush the four corners of each square with water. Draw the corners up and gently press together. Secure with a toothpick. Place on well greased baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Cover; let rise in a warm place until nearly double (about 35 minutes).
Brush with an egg wash made with one egg beaten with a tablespoon of milk. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely. Remove toothpicks.