Fully Cooked Split Smoked Sausage Kolaches Recipe

These Hillshire Farm® Fully Cooked Split Smoked Sausage Link Kolaches have a light dough filled with sausage, cheese, and a mix of roasted mild green chile and onion. They’re a variation of a popular grab and go breakfast item.

Ingredients

YIELD: 40 EACH

AMOUNT	MAIN INGREDIENTS
1 cup	Milk
1 cup	Granulated Sugar
2 tsp.	Kosher Salt
1/2 cup	Butter - Softened
1/2 oz.	Active Dry Yeast
1 cup	Warm Water (About 100°F)
4 ea.	Eggs
9 cups	All-Purpose Flour (Plus More For Bleaching)

Sub-Recipe Ingredients

Filling

AMOUNT	MAIN INGREDIENTS
4 lbs.	Green chiles (Use Anaheim or Hatch)
5 large	Yellow Onions - Julienned
As needed	Salt And Pepper
40 ea.	*Hillshire Farm®* Fully Cooked Split Smoked Sausage Links 6:1
40 slices	Sharp White Cheddar cheese
3 lbs.	Shredded Oaxaca Cheese
As needed	Melted Butter

Directions

Step 1: Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the sugar, salt, and butter to dissolve. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Be careful not to scorch the milk.

Step 2: In a stand mixer bowl with a dough hook, combine the yeast and warm water. Stir on low to activate yeast. Stir In the cooled milk mixture, eggs, and 4 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Add the rest of the flour gradually, mixing as you go. Mix until the dough is elastic and stiff but not dry.

Step 3: Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Coat with butter or neutral oil and place in a large bowl, covered, for about 1 hour in a warm area, until the dough is doubled in size.

Sub-Recipe Directions

Filling

Step 1: For the filling: Roast and peel the chiles, then roughly chop them. Remove the seeds for less heat.

Step 2: Lightly caramelize the onions and season with salt and pepper.

Step 3: Sear the Hillshire Farm® Fully Cooked Split Smoked Sausage Links to color them. Finish in a 275°F oven until cooked through. Let cool.

Step 4: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or spray a baking sheet.

Step 5: Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Roll it into a log about 4 inches around. Cut into 10 equal pieces and each of those into quarters.

Step 6: Press each piece into an oval shape slightly larger than a sausage using your hands.

Step 7: Place 1 slice of Cheddar cheese, 1 sausage, a pinch of Oaxaca cheese, and a small spoonful of onion and chiles on the dough.

Step 8: Wrap the edges around the fillings and pinch the edges shut. The fillings should be completely enclosed.

Step 9: Place the kolaches on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with butter and bake for 11 to 14 minutes, until golden brown.

Chef Notes: These can be cooled and wrapped in individual sleeves and sold as grab-and-go items. They can be reheated in a Turbo Chef-type oven or a microwave by the customer or kitchen staff. Some people like to dip them in a ranch-type sauce, but I personally enjoy them just as they are.

Depending on who is making them, the count can go up or down by a couple. The key is making sure the seams are sealed well and they are not overfilled.