1 square of yeast or 1 envelope
1/4 cup warm milk
1/2 pound butter
4 egg yolks
1/2 pint sweet cream (half and half)
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
Nut filling (see below)
1 can poppy seed filling for each roll, if desired
Let yeast dissolve in milk for a few minutes. Melt butter. Mix butter with beaten yolks in big bowl. In a separate bowl, sift flour, sugar, and salt together. Mix yeast mixture with butter and egg yolks, sweet cream, and then flour mixture. Beat with wooden spoon or spatula until smooth or use hands to mix. The mixture will absorb the flour, cleaning the sides of the bowl. Shape into 3 balls and refrigerate overnight.
Roll out each ball into rectangle 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Sides will be about 12 by 16 inches. With paring knife, even off sides slightly. Spread with nut filling to within 1/2 inch of sides. Roll from short side up long side. Place the three rolls side-by-side on a 10-by-14-inch baking pan or cookie sheet and let rise in a warm area for 3 hours. Brush top with beaten egg. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
Yield: 3 rolls
Source: Mary Lou Tomsic and the Tomsic family
Nut filling
1 pound nut meats, finely chopped
11/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 egg whites beaten to stiff stage
Mix together nuts and sugar and then add vanilla. Fold in beaten egg whites. Use 1 to 11/4 cups filling per roll.
Source: Mary Lou Tomsic and the Tomsic family