Cakes and Frostings

Kolacz (Wedding Cake)

  • 2 (1/4 oz pkg) Active dry yeast
  • 1 cup Sugar (Bakers, if possible)
  • 1/4 cup Warm water
  • 1 cup Butter, UNSALTED at room temp
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1 pint Milk, lukewarm
  • 2 cups Cake flour
  • 4 1/2 cups Flour, all-purpose
  • 1 pinch Salt
  • 4 cups Milk
  • 3/4 pound Cheese, Ricotta
  • 1 1/2 pounds Cottage cheese-Rinsed & drained
  • 4 Egg yolks
  • 2 cups Sugar, granulated
  • 1/2 tablespoon Vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tablespoon Almond extract

    • Prepare Cheese Filling (at bottom) ahead & set aside.

    ģIn a small bowl, dissolve Yeast & 1 Tbsp Bakers Sugar in 1 cup Warm Water. Let stand 5 - 10 minutes until foamy. Place 1 cup Bakers Sugar, Butter & Eggs in large bowl. Beat until pale and fluffy. Add Yeast mixture, 1 pint Warm Milk, 2 cups Cake Flour and Salt. Beat until will blended. Stir in enough remaining All Purpose Flour to make a soft dough. Turn out dough on a lightly foured surface. Clean & grease (or butter) bowl. Knead dough until smooth and elastic. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover with a clean damp cloth and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease (or butter) side and bottom of TWO 10 inch spring form pans. After rising divide the doughinto thirds. One of the pieces will be used for rope & decorations on top. Divide the other two third pieces in half. Shape one half to cover bottom & sides ofpan and save the other as a top. Spreadabout half the mixture on bottom layer & carefully cover with top piece of dough. After both are prepared roll out remaining dough to cut shapes for the top with a cookie cutter. With left over doughroll into a tube shape & twist into a rope to appear braided. Place rope aroundouter edge on top. Lightly brush with milk. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or unitl golden brown. Cool cake in pan 5 minutes on a rack. Remove pan sides & cool completely on rack.

    CHEESE FILLING: If available, 2 pounds of Dry Cottage Cheese or Old Farmers Old-Fashioned White Cheese can be used in place of Ricotta/Cottage Cheese) Be sure rinsed Cottage Cheese is DRY !! Place Egg Yolks, Sugar, Vanilla Extract & Almond Extract in a large bowl. Beat until pale and creamy, at least 5 minutes. Add cheese ( Grind before if substituting Dry Cheese), a little at a time, while beating. Beat until smooth.

    This recipe courtesy of the From My Kitchen Cookbook. 

    Contributed by Dave Guess of Lake Delton, WI. 

    Visit http://www.frommykitchen.net and get your copy of From My Kitchen: Internet-ready recipe software.  Your kitchen will never be the same!