St Josephs Day Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Stir together in a large bowl 1 1/2 cups of the flour, yeast, honey, hot water, salt, butter and anise seeds and mix into a smooth batter.
• Stir in the golden raisins and beat for another 10 minutes, gradually adding flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Knead for another 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky (you may not need to use all the flour).
• Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, and turn to coat.
• Cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Grease a baking sheet and dust with cornmeal.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and punch down.
• Roll into a long tight loaf, and place seam side down onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Use a sharp serrated knife to make 3 or four diagonal slashes on the top.
• Cover and let rise in warm place until double in size, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mist the loaf with water of vinegar before baking, and twice during.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the crust is golden brown, and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the water, yeast, shortening, sugar, oil and salt.
• Let stand for 5 minutes.
• In a large mixer bowl, put 2 1/2 cups of the flour, add liquid (yeast) mixture.
• Beat by hand or on low speed of electric mixer until all ingredients are well blended.
• Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can mix in with a spoon.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (about 6-8 minutes of kneading).
• Shape dough into a ball and place it into a lightly greased bowl.
• Turn dough once to grease all surfaces.
• Cover the bowl, and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled (about 40-60 minutes).
• Punch down dough, and divide it into 6 equal pieces.
• Cover it and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Roll each piece (by hand) into a 12 inch long rope.
• Using 3 ropes for each loaf, braid the dough and secure the ends of the braid by tucking the ends underneath.
• Place the braids on greased baking sheets.
• Cover the braids, and let rise until nearly doubled (about 30-45 minutes).
• Brush top and sides of loaves with the beaten egg.
• Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake in a 400°F oven for 25 minutes, or until bread tests done and is golden brown.
• Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.