Cream Cheese Kolache

Ingredients

Kolache Dough

- 2 ¼ teaspoons of yeast or 1 packet

- Pinch of ground ginger

- 1 teaspoon sugar

- ¼ cup warm milk 110F

- 1/2 cup whole milk

- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small chunks

- 2 ½ cups to 3 1/2 all purpose flour about 3 if using a bread machine

- 1 teaspoon kosher salt

- 1/4 cup sugar

- 3 tablespoons instant potato flakes unflavored

- 1 large egg room temperature

Cream Cheese Filling - 8 ounces cream cheese - 1/4 cup sugar - 1 egg yolk - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Crumb Topping - 1/3 cup sugar - 2 tablespoons flour - 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon - 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions

1. Kolache Dough

2. Add the yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and ginger to the ¼ cup milk and set aside.

3. Put the 1/2 cup milk and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until the butter melts.

4. Let cool to 110F.

5. It should feel comfortably warm to when you drop a few drops on your wrist.

6. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment combine 2 cups of the flour with the salt, sugar, and potato flakes.

7. Add the yeast mixture and the cooled milk mixture and stir until blended.

8. Add the egg and blend it in.

9. Add another 1/3 cup of flour. The dough will be sticky.

10. Switch to the dough hook.

11. Add flour a tablespoon or two at a time until the dough doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl.

12. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic. It should be easy to handle at this point.

13. Knead on high for about 30 seconds to a minute.

14. Remove from the mixer bowl and form into a ball.

15. Rub the ball with melted butter then place it in a greased bowl.

16. Turn the ball over once.

17. Cover the bowl loosely with a clean tea towel.

18. Let it rise for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.

19. Punch down.

20. Divide the dough into 12 pieces about the size of an egg.

21. Roll into balls and arrange them 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

22. Brush with butter, cover loosely with tea towels or plastic wrap, and let rise for 1 hour.

23. Make indentations in the buns and fill with cheese mixture.

24. Sprinkle with crumb mixture.

25. Bake at 425F for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Watch carefully.

26. Cream Cheese Filling

27. Beat together cream cheese with sugar until smooth.

28. Add the egg yolk and vanilla.

29. Beat until completely incorporated.

30. Crumb Topping

31. Combine sugar with flour and cinnamon.

32. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture forms crumbs.