Kolaches with Filling Choices

Makes about 7 dozen kolaches.

4 cups lukewarm milk
4 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
About 12 to 13 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dry yeast (such as Fleischmann's)

Place yeast in a bowl, adding just enough water to dissolve yeast. Add remaining ingredients (using enough flour to make a fairly stiff dough). Knead thoroughly. Let sit for 15 to 30 minutes.

Finish kneading until smooth. Brush with vegetable oil and let rise until double in size.

Cut dough with tablespoon and form into balls. Place on greased sheet. Brush with shortening, again, and let rise until double in size.

Make wells in center with fingers, pressing from the inside to the outside. Put your favorite filling in the center of each and let dough rise again. Bake at 375 degrees F until brown. Remove from oven and brush with a mixture of milk and butter. Sprinkle with sugar.

Cream Cheese Filling
8 ounces cream cheese
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Cream the cream cheese and add egg yolk. Mix cornstarch with sugar, then add to cream cheese. Add vanilla extract. Fills about 12 kolaches.

Pineapple Filling
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Heat pineapple until it starts to boil. Mix sugar and cornstarch, then add to pineapple. Cook until it thickens. Remove from heat. Add butter and let cool before using.

Prune Filling
1 pound pitted prunes
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place dry prunes in just enough water to cover, bring to boil. Add sugar and cook uncovered until prunes are soft and break apart easily. Mash. Add cinnamon, butter and vanilla extract. Let cool before filling kolaches.

Apricot Filling
1 (16 ounce) can apricots
1 cup granulated sugar
1 or 2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Bring apricots and syrup to a boil. Add sugar, then cook until apricots break up easily. Mash. Mix in cornstarch until a little thick. Add butter and mix together.

Poppy Seed Filling
2 cups ground poppy seeds
1 cup boiling milk
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients except vanilla extract and cook slowly until mixture thickens. Add vanilla extract. Let cool before using in kolaches.