Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast
- 2 cups scalded milk lukewarm
- 4 eggs beaten
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup cooking oil
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 5 cups all purpose flour
Method
- Mix sugar with water and sprinkle yeast over top, let sit 10 minutes.
- Beat together yeast with milk, eggs, salt, sugar, oil, and 3 cups flour.
- Cover and let batter rise until bubbly (about 1 hour).
- Mix in remaining flour and knead until smooth and elastic (bit stiffer than regular bread).
- Cover and let rise until doubled.
- Punch down and let rise until doubled a second time.
- Line baking trays with parchment paper.
- Divide dough into two equal halves (steps 10-16 are for working with a single half).
- Divide into 6 equal parts.
- Roll each part into a long roll about 20 inches long.
- Entwine parts in pairs starting in the centre, there will be 3 entwined rolls.
- Braid the 3 entwined rolls together starting in the centre.
- Trim the ends and join by pressing neatly to form a circle with an opening in the centre (the baked loaf should look like a wreath).
- Roll the trimmed off dough into 2 thin rolls about 30 inches in length, entwine these together and encircle the bottom of the whole loaf with this entwined roll.
- Place wreath on baking tray and put a tall narrow greased tin can in the centre of the wreath to keep the opening from baking closed.
- Repeat 10-16 with the second half.
- Cover loaves and let rise until almost double in bulk.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Mix a beaten egg with 2 tablespoons water and brush the tops of the loaves with it.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Lower oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 40-50 minutes more.
Source
Traditional Ukrainian Cookery (out of print).
