Kolace

Instructions

1. Scald milk and set aside to cool until lukewarm.
2. Remove 1/2 cup of the cooled scalded milk to a small bowl, add 1 teaspoon of the sugar and stir in yeast. Let work for about 10 minutes.
3. While yeast is working, beat the eggs, add sugar, then cream, oil, salt and the rest of the scalded milk.
4. In large bowl have ready 6 1/2 cups flour. Make a well in the flour and add the dissolved yeast. Stir and then add in the beaten ingredients.
5. Beat until smooth.
6. Add 1/4 cup of flour at a time until you have a slightly sticky dough.
7. Beat well with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes.
8. Let dough rest 10 minutes and then stir well with wooden spoon again.
9. Cover with a tea towel and let rise about 1 hour, until doubled in bulk.
10. Stir down and cut off tablespoon size balls.
11. Shape into balls and place on a greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
12. Brush with melted shortening.
13. Let rise until doubled.
14. Make a depression in the middle of the ball with your thumb, and press outward to form an opening for the filling about the size of a 50 cent piece, pressing the bottom paper thin without tearing the dough.
15. Add a teaspoon of filling to each kolace and smooth out to edge of opening. I use Solo brand poppy seed filling for most as that is our favorite and cherry pie filling for the rest.
16. Let the filled kolace rise 15-20 minutes or they will look like a volcano erupting when baked.
17. Bake at 425 for 8 minutes until lightly browned.
18. Remove from pan with a spatula as you would cookies and cool on wire rack. Brush kolace with melted butter as soon as removed from oven to keep the dough soft.
19. These freeze well once they are cooled--if they last that long.