Kolac Recipe

Dough
Two 1/4-ounce packages active dry yeast
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
6 to 6 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Filling
1 pound walnuts, ground
1½ to 2 cups sugar, or to taste
1½ to 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg or to taste

Assembly
2 cups (4 sticks) butter, melted

1. To prepare the dough, combine the yeast with 1 cup warm (105 to 115 degrees F) water in a small bowl; stir to dissolve the yeast. Combine 1 cup warm (105 to 115 degrees F) water and the shortening in a separate bowl and stir until the shortening dissolves.
2. Mix the sugar, salt, eggs, yeast mixture, and shortening mixture in a large bowl.
3. Add 6 cups of the flour, 2 cups at a time. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead until smooth, adding another ½ cup flour if needed. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, ½ to 1 hour.
4. To prepare the filling, combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl; mix well.
5. To assemble, separate the dough into 5 pieces. On a floured surface, roll out each piece of dough to a 10 x 15-inch rectangle. Brush each piece with about 1/3 cup of the melted butter and sprinkle 1½ cups of the filling mixture evenly over the dough. Roll up in jellyroll fashion to form a 15-inch roll and place on a cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces. Place rolls on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden. Brush lightly with melted butter, if desired. Place on wire racks to cool completely before slicing each roll into 15 pieces.