Kalacs

Now here is a recipe that evokes a lot of memories from both childhood and beyond.    Kalacs is a Hungarian pastry with a sweet filling.    As I recall, my grandmother made it as a cylindrical loaf.    My mother's recipe, on the other hand, was more like a loaf of bread.    They both made the wonderful poppy seed filling given below.    There are lots of other fillings that you can use.    This is best served warm with lots of butter.

In a large mixing bowl mix 2 cups flour and the yeast.    Heat milk, butter, sugar, salt in a pan until the butter is melted (about 115°F).    Add the milk mixture to the flour and yeast. Mix well, add the egg and beat well.    Add remainder of flour.    Knead, if you wish, or don't knead, just make sure that everything is well mixed.    Transfer to a greased bowl.    Cover and put in warm place to rise for 1 hour to 1-1/2 hrs.    The size of the dough should about double.

While the dough is rising, prepare filling.

After dough has risen, put it out onto a floured bread board and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes.    Divide the dough into two halves.    Pat out or roll out each half with a rolling pin to about 1/4 inch thickness.    Spread half the filling on the dough and roll the dough up like a jelly roll.    Tuck the ends over to close the loaf.    Repeat with the second half of the dough and the rest of the filling.    Place each loaf in a greased loaf pan and let rise about 30 minutes. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes until lightly browned.

Note

One package of active dry yeast is about 2-1/4 teaspoons of dry yeast.

Filling

Combine ingredients in saucepan and cook over low heat until thick enough to easily spread on unbaked dough.

Variations

There is a lot of potential for varying the fillings.    Anything sweet or sweetened will make a good filling for this.

1:    Substitute 1-1/2 cups of walnuts for the poppy seed.

2:    Substitute the lemon rind for the orange rind.

3:    Substitute chopped prunes or dates for the raisins.

4:    Substitute chopped dried apricots for the raisins

5:    Mix 2 cups sugar with 1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon.    Brush the dough with
       melted butter.    Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.    Roll up.

6:    Do 4 above, but sprinkle the dough with raisins.

7:    Do 4 as above, but substitute light brown sugar for the sugar.

8:    Mix 2 cups of sugar with 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa.    Brush the dough with
       melted butter.    Sprinkle with the sugar mixture.