Fully Cooked Split Smoked Sausage Kolaches

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 degrees F)
4 ea.	Eggs
9 cups	All-purpose flour, plus more for benching

Sub-Recipe Ingredients

Filling

AMOUNT	MAIN INGREDIENTS
4 lbs.	Green chiles (We 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.