Poppy Seed Kolaches

Sift 350 g of wheat flour into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add 50 g of sugar and 7 g of instant yeast, and mix well. Pour in 180 ml of warm milk (36-38°C) and beat in 2 egg yolks. Mix until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.

Add 60 g of melted, slightly cooled butter and a pinch of salt. Knead the dough by hand on a floured surface, or with a mixer on medium speed, for 8-10 minutes, until it becomes smooth, elastic, and starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl.

Shape the dough into a ball, cover the bowl with a towel, and leave to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 60 minutes, until doubled in volume.

While the dough is rising, prepare the poppy seed filling: in a saucepan, combine 250 g of ground poppy seeds, 80 g of sugar, and 120 ml of milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 tsp of lemon zest and 2 tbsp of jam. Let the filling cool to room temperature.

Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces (55-60 g each). Shape each piece into a smooth ball, tucking the edges toward the center and pinching tightly at the bottom. Place the balls seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them 5-6 cm apart. Cover with a towel and let rise for 20 minutes for a second proof.

Dip the bottom of a clean glass, 5-6 cm in diameter, in flour and press it firmly into the center of each ball to make a deep indentation — press hard enough, or the center will puff up during baking and the indentation will disappear. Beat 1 egg and brush it over the edges of each kolache with a pastry brush.

Fill the indentations with the cooled poppy seed filling (about 1-1.5 tbsp per kolache) and top each one with a blanched almond (12 total).

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Bake the kolaches for 18-20 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown.

Transfer the finished kolaches to a wire rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.