Grandma Fitch’s Kolachi

Also called Kolachki, Kolacky, Kolachy, Kolace, Kolache, Kolachke

4-5 cups flour

1 lb. butter

1/2 tsp. salt

4 egg yolks

2 TBS lemon juice

1 yeast cake

1 cup warm milk

Fruit Fillings (Grandma usually used Solo Brand): Prune, Apricot, Strawberry, Pineapple, but you will still have to make your own poppy seed and walnut (see below)

Make your own fillings as follows:

Apricot-1 1/2 cups dried apricots, 1/2 c. sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.  Cover with water and simmer for about 1/2 hr. Mash and cool for filling.

Nuts- 1/2 lb. finely chopped walnuts plus honey to bind

Pineapple-1 can crushed pineapple, 1 1/2 TBLS. cornstarch, Combine, cook until thick and cool.

Poppy Seed-1 lb. Poppy Seed, 2 cups scalded milk, 1 1/4 c. sugar.  Mix together, allow milk to be absorbed, ready when cool.

Prune (Lekvar)-1 1/2 cups prunes, pitted, 2/3 cup water, 1 tsp. lemon zest, 3 TBLS lemon juice, 1/2 cup brown sugar. Simmer all ingredients except sugar until soft (about half an hour).  Mash, stir in brown sugar.  Cool.

Dissolve yeast cake in warm milk.

Beat egg yolks, add to milk and yeast once bubbly.  Add lemon juice.  Combine flour and salt.  Blend liquid milk/yeast/lemon juice mixture with flour mixture.  Work until dough is smooth.  Put in refrigerator for two hours.  Sprinkle sugar on board.  Roll out dough like pie crust thickness.  Cut into approximately 2-2 1/2 inch squares with wet knife or pizza cutter.  Add small spoonful of filling and fold opposite corners.  It is important not to add too much filling or it will overflow and burn.   Bake in 350 degree oven until ever so lightly golden brown (I don't remember the amount of cooking time, probably about 15 minutes-just watch the color)  Cool on sheet for a minute or two, then on rack.

Makes about twelve dozen.  Enjoy!

I will post photos as soon as I make these again this season.

Comments

[stef]

Thank you so much, Rebecca!!! I'm reading the recipe through and it sounds fabulous! Different from other kolachis we've tried -- no yeast. And my hubby's aunt in Texas makes Kolaches that have a cream cheese type of filling, kinda like a Danish.

[Alice Gunther]

I can't wait to see the photos!