Step 1

Activate yeast. Combine warm water, yeast, and 1 tsp. of sugar in small bowl. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes. Yeast should be bubbly and have doubled in size.

Step 2

In a large bowl, stir together sugar, milk, melted shortening, salt and the egg yolk. Stir in yeast mixture. Add 1 cup of sifted bread flour at a time until 3 cups are added. Stir until a sticky dough starts to form.

Step 3

Sprinkle the remaining ⅓ cup bread flour on a hard work surface, turn the dough out onto the surface and knead for 10-12 minutes. Dough will be sticky and elastic. Transfer dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

Step 4

Punch dough down. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape dough into a 11” X 12 “rectangle. Using a pastry or pizza cutter, cut dough evenly into twelve 3” X 3” squares.

Step 5

Place sausage in center of each piece of dough. You can flatten dough a little more if needed. Bring sides around sausage and pinch in the center the to form a seam. You are trying to have more dough on top than the bottom. Pull and stretch top and bottom dough around sausage and pinch to merge with center seam.

Step 6

Place filled sausage kolaches seam side down on a lightly greased baking sheet at least 1-2 inches apart. Brush liberally with melted butter. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

Step 7

Bake in preheated oven at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until tops are golden brown and sausage is reheated. Remove from oven and brush with additional melted butter. Let kolaches cool for 10 minutes.