Email to Stella      

Ethnic: Ukrainian Wedding Bread

Source of Recipe

David


List of Ingredients

1-cup evaporated milk
1/2-cup lukewarm water
1-teaspoon salt
2-Tablespoons sugar
2-packages dry yeast
10-cups flour
6-ounces butter
6-extra large eggs
1/2-cup sugar
1-teaspoon vanilla extract
1-teaspoon run extract
Zest of 1 lemon
1-egg, beaten with a little water for glaze




Recipe

Combine milk, water, salt, and 2 Tablespoons
sugar in a large bowl. Add yeast and 2 cups
of sifted flour. Mix well and allow to rise
until double in bulk. Beat eggs with 1/2 cup
of sugar until frothy, and add vanilla, rum,
and lemon zest. Add remaining flour to yeast
mixture and mix in melted butter and egg
mixture. Knead until dough is smooth and
leaves the hand. Allow to rest 5 minutes.
Divide dough into 3 parts: one about 3 pounds
for the main korovai, one about 1 pound for
the memento korovai, the balance for
decoration. Place in lightly oiled bowl, turn
once, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and
allow to rise until double in bulk. Butter
memento and sprinkle with flour and place in
a buttered glass pie dish, then in a 10 inch
diameter dutch oven. Keep dough covered when
it is not being worked.

Large Korovai:
On a floured work surface, knead the larger
portion of dough, cut into the following
pieces:
3-pieces, 12 ounces each
2-pieces, 4 ounces each
1-piece, 3 ounces
Roll the 12 ounce pieces into 3 strands, 28
inches long and more than 1 inch thick. Braid
and arrange in a circle around the bottom of
the dutch oven, overlapping ends. Roll the 4
ounce pieces into 2 strands about 29 inch long.
Twist tightly (about every inch),and place on
top of the braid, on its outermost rim, over
lapping ends. Roll the 3 ounce piece into a
small ball, flatten the top, and place in the
center. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let
rise until double in bulk.

Small Korovai:
Repeat above instructions to make a smaller replica
of the korovai in the pie dish:
3-pieces, 4 ounces each
2-pieces, 2 ounces each
1-piece, 1-1/2 ounces each
Let rise until double in bulk.
Brush both breads with egg glaze and bake in
preheated 350 degree (Fahr) oven, with pans not
touching, for 15 minutes, then lower oven to 325
degrees. Remove the smaller korovai after 30 more
minutes (total 45 minutes), glaze again, allow to
rest for several minutes, then remove from pan and
cool on rack. Bake the larger one 15 minutes more
(total 1 hour),or until the bottom sounds hollow
when rapped. Glaze again, allow to rest, remove
from pan, and cool on rack. With the balance of
the dough form little birds or branches. Brush with
egg wash, bake in a preheated oven 325 degrees until
done. Repeat brushing for a high glaze.