Any way you spell it, kolacky is a treat

By ANNE LONG

© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 8, 2001

Debra Leuthauser asked for a recipe for kolacky, traditional eastern European cookies.

The dough can be made with cream cheese or cottage cheese, or it can be a yeast dough. The dough is rolled out and can be cut into 2-inch rounds and topped with jam or with commercial filling.

Another way to prepare the cookies is to cut the rolled-out dough into squares, place a teaspoonful of jam or other filling in the center of each and then pull two opposite corners together and pinch. Kolacky, kolache and kolachi are among the various spellings, depending on where they are made.

Hawaiian wedding cake is a delightful dessert. Begin with a cake from scratch or from a mix. The next layer is crushed pineapple, then a cream cheese layer and a pudding layer and a whipped topping layer. Top it all with shredded coconut.

If you want to gild the lily, sprinkle the coconut with chopped nuts and maraschino cherries. See what we mean?

For: Debra Leuthauser of Littleton, Colo.

From: Ruth Dauper of St. Petersburg.

Recipe: Cottage cheese kolacky, from Solo and Baker A Century of Family Favorites.

Cottage Cheese Kolacky

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• 1 cup small curd cottage cheese (8 ounces)
• 1 can Solo or 1 jar Baker Filling (any flavor)
• Confectioners' sugar

Using pastry blender or two forks, cut butter into flour as for pie crust. Add cottage cheese, mixing lightly until dough is well-combined and holds together. Divide dough into two equal portions; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. On lightly floured board, roll out one portion of dough to 1/8-inch thickness. With pizza cutter or knife, cut dough into 21/2-inch squares. Place 1 teaspoon filling in center of each square. Bring two opposite corners of dough together, folding one over the other to seal.

Bake on ungreased cookie sheets for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving. Makes 3-31/2 dozen kolacky.

For an interesting variation, bring all four corners of dough to the center and pinch well to seal in filling. This recipe may be doubled. The kolacky freeze well.

Recipe: European kolacky, from Solo and Baker A Century of Family Favorites.

European Kolacky

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened (2 sticks)
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 can Solo or 1 jar Baker Filling (any flavor)
• Confectioners' sugar

Beat butter, cream cheese, milk and sugar in medium bowl until thoroughly blended. Beat in egg yolk. Stir together the flour and baking powder; add to butter mixture to make stiff dough. Cover bowl and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough with floured 2-inch cookie cutter. Place kolacky on ungreased cookie sheets about 1 inch apart. Make depression in center of kolacky with thumb or back of spoon; fill with about 1/2 teaspoon filling.

Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheets and cool completely on wire racks. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar just before serving. Makes about 36 kolacky.

From: Lois Tague of Largo.

Recipe: Kolachi, given to Lois' aunt in Chicago more than 40 years ago, a family favorite.

Kolachi (with yeast)

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 pound margarine
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup sugar
• Preserves (apricot, strawberry, pineapple or other)
• Confectioners' sugar

Sprinkle yeast on flour, then cut in margarine and mix as for pie crust. Add egg yolks and sour cream. Mix well. Refrigerate overnight.

Beat egg whites stiff, then add sugar slowly, beating all the while. Keep dough refrigerated, pulling off portions to roll out very thinly on pastry cloth. Cut into 4-inch squares. Spread 1 teaspoon egg white mixture very thinly over squares. Place 1 heaping teaspoon preserves in center. Bring corners together and pinch together (like priest's hat). Place on cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until light brown. Cool on wire racks and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving.

For: Frances Fowler of Palm Harbor.

From: Frances Musgrave of St. Petersburg.

Recipe: Hawaiian wedding cake, from a cookbook published by the Clearview Baptist Church, St. Petersburg, in 1993.

Hawaiian Wedding Cake (using cake mix)

• 1 package yellow cake mix (Duncan Hines preferred)
• 1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
• 1 large package vanilla instant pudding mix (Jell-O preferred)
• 2 cups milk
• 1 quart thawed whipped topping (12-ounce container Cool Whip)
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• Optional: Chopped nuts, maraschino cherries

Bake cake in 9- by 13-inch pan. Let cool.

Cover with crushed pineapple, juice and all. Cream the cream cheese until smooth, then mix with pudding mix and milk; beat until thick. Spread this layer over the pineapple. Next, spread with whipped topping and cover with coconut. Refrigerate 8 hours before serving.

Sprinkle with chopped nuts and maraschino cherries if desired.

From: Elsie Bouvier of South Pasadena, Gloria Housler of Largo and Charlotte Loveless of Spring Hill.

Recipe: Hawaiian wedding cake.

Hawaiian Wedding Cake (from scratch)

Cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1 cup flaked coconut

Mix all ingredients together by hand. Combine well but do not beat. Bake in a greased and floured 9- by 13-inch pan at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until done. Cool.

Frosting

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick margarine, softened
• 11/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat ingredients together until smooth. Spread on cake. Garnish with coconut and chopped nuts if desired.

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