APRICOT KOLACKY RECIPES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a saucepan, heat milk and 1 cup butter to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat until moistened. Add egg yolks; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on high for 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls; roll each into a 2-1/2-in. circle. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes., Using the end of a wooden spoon, make a 1-1/2-in. indentation in the center of each roll; fill with about 2 teaspoons apricot filling. Melt remaining butter; brush over dough., Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks. Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over warm rolls.

Steps:

• Grease a large bowl with shortening set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, add first 6 ingredients and mix on low to medium speed for about 2 minutes.
• 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).
• Add the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough for about 10 minutes.
• 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.
• Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
• Punch down the dough. Divide the dough in half.
• 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.
• 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.
• Repeat with the other half of dough.
• 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.
• 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.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Bake kolacky at 325 degrees for approximately 25-30 minutes.
• Remove pastries from baking sheets and cool on racks. Drizzle glaze over the kolacky, while warm but, not hot.
• 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.