Most of the kolaches I make are for breakfast but this is more of a dessert kolache.

 

Overnight Kolache Dough

• 1 cup sour cream
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 2 packages of dry yeast, plus 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup warm water – 110-120° F (measure with baker’s thermometer)
• 2 eggs beaten
• 4-5 cups of flour

Filling

• • • 10-12 oz. Hershey’s baking size chocolate kisses
    • 1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk
    • 2 cups pecan halves
    • 1 bottle or jar of caramel ice cream topping for drizzle (optional)

Make the kolache dough the night before baking. Heat sour cream in microwave oven on high for 2 minutes. Stir in 2/3 cup sugar plus the salt and butter. Set aside to cool.

Sprinkle yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar over warm water in a bowl and let stand until yeast gets “puffy” – this is called “proofing” your yeast.

Add eggs to 4 cups of flour and mix well, using hands, mixer, or sturdy spatula. This dough does not need to be kneaded.

Add proofed yeast to sour cream mixture, then pour the warm liquids into the egg dough.

Combine thoroughly, add 1/2 cup to 1 cup more flour to make the dough “spongy” instead of “sticky.”

Grease a large bowl with shortening or Pam and turn the spongy dough mass into the bowl. Spray with Pam, cover and refrigerate overnight. It doesn’t look very pretty, and that is okay.

On the day of baking and serving

Start to make the filling by first creating the caramel. Heat your oven to 400° F and pour the condensed  into an oven-safe dish, like an 8″ x 8″x 2″ square pan. Cover the pan with heavy duty foil. Place the small pan into a larger oven-safe dish, like a 9″ x 13″ x 2″ baking dish. Pour water into the larger pan until it reaches about 3/4″ to 1″ high. This will create a water bath to gently bake the condensed milk into a caramel-type sauce. Bake for 60 minutes and then check the caramel. Gently slide the baking rack out, being careful not to spill the hot water on your hand. Peek under the foil and stir the caramel with a long handled spoon. If you are satisfied with the consistency, turn off the oven. If you want it a little thicker, bake it 15-30 minutes more. When finished baking, turn off the oven, but leave the caramel and water bath in place until your kolaches begin their first rising.

Remove kolache dough from the refrigerator.

Shape into balls about the size of golf-balls or eggs. Place each roll on a greased cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart.

Let rise about 30 – 45 minutes; they do not change size very much this time.

While the balls are rising, finish making the filling. Coarsely chop the pecans and place in a large bowl with the Hershey’s kisses. Remove the caramel sauce from the oven and spoon the caramel over the candy and nuts. Stir to combine. The warm caramel will melt the chocolate a little. You should have a large sticky clump of chocolate, caramel and pecans. Set aside.

Turn your oven on again, this time to 350° F. The kolaches rise best in a warm place free of drafts and I use the corner of my cabinet by the oven.

If your kolache balls have risen 30 minutes, then make indentations in each roll with first 2 fingers of both hands, creating a shape that looks like a baby swimming pool – flat on the bottom with rimmed sides.

Spoon about 1 Tablespoon of filling on top of each roll. It remains a lumpy mound, it won’t spread out while baking.

Cover with wax paper or cloth and let rise 30 more minutes.

Bake at 350° F for 15-17 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on wire racks. Just before serving, drizzle with caramel ice cream topping (optional).