SC - Bread for a wedding feast...

[Sharon R. Saroff]

Bran,

I used to make this for friends weddings.  It is partially taken from a
Greek wedding bread recipe I saw in a bread recipe book I used to own from
Sturbridge Village.  Since I experiment a lot I changed the book's recipe.
I researched the customs that I note below, though I don't have my sources
handy.  

Enjoy!!

Sindara


Wedding Bread Recipe:

3/4 cup orange juice		1/4 cup cool water
1 stick sweet butter, melted	1/2 cup honey
2tbs rum			1 tbs amaretto or almond extract
1 tsp vanilla			2 tbs dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water		1/2 tsp sugar
3 eggs				1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated orange peel	1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp anise seed		1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ginger			1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice		1/2 tsp ground clove
1/2 tsp coriander		7-7 1/2 cups of flour (white)
eggwhite for glaze

In large mixing bowl place yeast, warm water and sugar.  Stir and let 
stand until froth begins.  Add liquid ingredients (make sure the melted 
butter is cooled so as not to kill the yeast) and stir.  Beat in eggs one 
at a time.  Add dry ingredients, add flour a cup at a time.  Mix until 
dough can be handled.  Knead on floured board about 5 min or until 
elastic.  Placed in greased bowl, making sure that the dough gets coated 
w/ the grease and coover w/ wet towel.  Let stand until doubled in size 
(about 2 hours).  Punch down and knead again until elastic.  Check for 
air bubbles.  Divide dough into four parts.  Roll three parts into tubes 
and braid them together.  Form a circle with the braid (You now have a 
braided wreath)  Roll out the fourth piece until flat.  With cookie 
cutters form shapes and decorate the braid.  Let stand covered on greased 
cookie sheet until doubled in size.  Brush w/ eggwhite and sprinkle 
w/grated peel, currants and chopped nuts if desired.  Bake at 400F for 15 
min then drop temperature to 350 and bake 40-45min or until bread has a 
hollow sound when tapped at bottom.  

	The custom is to serve the bread on a silver tray surrounded by 
dried fruits and nuts.  Place a lit candle in an enclosed holder in the 
center.  This represents the "Eternal Flame of Love."

	Another note:  The people of the South Pacific have a curious 
wedding custom of placing an agate bead in the shell drinking vessels of 
the bride and groom.  Upon doing this the bride and groom take a drink 
from the vessel and the priest says, "Just as these two beads, So you 
shall go down together, but never apart."





============================================================================

To be removed from the SCA-Cooks mailing list, please send a message to
Majordomo at Ansteorra.ORG with the message body of "unsubscribe SCA-Cooks".

============================================================================