Russian Rye Bread

Serve with hearty soups.

2 packages active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 tablespoon freeze-dried instant coffee
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
4 cups medium rye flour
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 egg, slightly beaten

Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl.
Stir in butter, molasses, coffee, honey, salt, fennel seed and rye flour.
Beat until smooth.
Stir in enough whole wheat flour to make dough easy to handle (dough will be stiff but slightly sticky).
Turn dough onto generously floured surface; knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up.
Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 hour.
Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

Punch dough down; divide into halves.
Shape each half into a round 5-inch diameter loaf.
Place loaves on greased cookie sheet. Cover; let rise until double, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush each loaf with egg.
Sprinkle with fennel seed if desired. Bake until loaves are dark brown and sound hollow when tapped, about 1 hour; cool on wire racks.

Ukrainian Snow Cap Cookies

Posted by Olga 2/13/2002 7:16 pm

Source: Traditional Ukrainian Cookery

It is always a pleasure to serve these regal-looking cookies with a baked-on topping.

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon rich milk or cream
3 egg whites
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup coconut

Sift the flour with the dry ingredients.
Cream the butter; add the egg yolks, one at a time, and continue creaming.
Stir in the milk or cream.
Add the flour and mix thoroughly.
The dough should be light.
Chill for easier handling.
Roll thin and cut into small rounds.

Prepare the topping by beating the egg whites until stiff; add the sugar gradually, beating constantly.
Fold in the walnuts and coconut.

Place the rounds on a greased baking sheet and top each with the meringue.
Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees F) for about 12 minutes, or until delicately browned.

Ukrainian Country Babka

Posted by Olga March 20, 2002 15:31:07

2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 packages dry granular yeast
1 cup scalded milk, lukewarm
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
5 1/2 cups sifted flour, about
1 cup or more raisins

Dissolve the sugar in the lukewarm water, sprinkle the yeast over it, and let stand until softened.
Combine with the lukewarm milk and 1 cup of flour.
Beat well, cover, and allow the sponge to rise in a warm place until light and bubbly.
Beat the eggs with the salt, add the sugar gradually, and continue beating.
Beat in the butter and lemon rind.

Combine this mixture with the sponge.
Stir in the flour and knead in the bowl for about 10 minutes.
This dough should be slightly thicker than for the usual babka mixture.
Knead in the raisins.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk. Punch down, knead a few times, and let it rise again.
Butter tall, round baking pans (or coffee cans) with soft butter and fill them one-third full.
I like to use greased parchment paper on the bottom of pan.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until the dough reaches the brim of the pan.
Bake in a moderately hot oven (400 degrees F) for about 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 40 minutes longer, or until done.
Avoid browning the top too deeply.
If necessary, cover with aluminum foil.
Remove the loaves from the pans and allow them to cool.

Babka with Pumpkin

This is a very old recipe, but it is worth preserving.
Mashed pumpkin imparts a mellow, yellow color to babka and keeps it fresh and soft for days.
A fewer number of eggs is required when pumpkin is used.

Follow the preceding recipe for Country Babka.
Add 1/2 to 2/3 cup of cooked, mashed pumpkin, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and 1/2 cup of orange juice and about 4 eggs.
Add enough flour to give a soft dough.