recipesfromTHEWINTERLODGE-SusanWiggs.docVIP

Recipes and outtakes from The Winter Lodge by Susan Wiggs ? 2007 Susan Wiggs Food for Thought by Jenny Majesky Kolaches for Beginners It’s funny how so many bakers are intimidated by yeast. They see it listed as an ingredient in a recipe, and quickly flip the page. There’s no need to fear this version. This particular dough is quite forgiving. It’s elastic, resilient and will make you feel like a pro. As my grandmother, Helen Majesky, used to say, “You know more than you think you know.” BASIC KOLACHES 1 tablespoon sugar 2 packets of active dry yeast, which is kind of a pain, since yeast is sold in packages of three 1/2 cup warm water 2 cups milk 6 tablespoons pure unsalted butter 2 teaspoons salt 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten 1/2 cup sugar 6-1/4 cups flour 1- 1/2 sticks melted butter Put the yeast in a measuring cup and sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over it. Add the warm water. How warm? Most cookbooks say 105 to 115 degrees. Experienced cooks can tell by sprinkling a few drops on the inside of the wrist. Beginners should use a thermometer. Too hot, and it’ll kill the active ingredients. Warm the milk in a small saucepan; add the butter and stir until melted. Cool to lukewarm and pour into a big mixing bowl. Add the salt and sugar, then pour in the beaten egg yolks in a thin stream, whisking briskly to keep the eggs from curdling. Then whisk in the yeast mixture. Roll up your sleeves and add flour a cup at a time. When the dough gets too heavy to stir, mix with your hands. You want the dough to be glossy and sticky. Keep adding flour and knead until the dough acquires a sheen. Put the dough ball in an oiled mixing bowl, turning it to coat. Cover with a damp tea towel and set in a warm place where the air is very still. In about an hour, the dough should double in size. My grandmother used to push two floured fingertips into the top of the soft mound, and if the dimples made by her fingers remained, then she would declare the dough risen. And then, of course, you