Ingredients
2 envelops dry yeast
2 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup hot water
1 stick corn oil margarine, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cups hot water
2 extra large eggs
7 cups unbleached flour (approximately)
1 egg yolk
raisins
Instructions
1. Dissolve sugar and yeast in 1/4 cup hot water. Set aside;
yeast is ready when it is rising and puffy.
2. Place margarine, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl; pour 1 3/4 cups hot water
over them.
3. Crack eggs into large capacity food processor bowl with plastic dough blade,
and pulse 30 seconds.
4. Add 1 cup flour and puffy yeast mixture to eggs. Pulse 30 seconds to blend.
5. Add margarine/sugar/salt/water mixture and 3 cups flour. Pulse 1 minute,
scrape down sides of bowl, pulse 30 seconds more.
6. Add remaining flour, 1 cup at a time; pulse approximately 15-20 seconds after
each addition. Dough will form a large, sticky ball around the blade. The food
processor may not accommodate all 7 cups of flour.
7. Spread remaining flour or an extra 1/2 cup flour onto a board or pastry
cloth. Turn dough onto floured surface.
8. Add raisins if desired. Knead the dough 2 to 3 minutes, incorporating flour.
Ready dough will form a smooth, round ball and will bounce back when lightly
touched.
9. Grease a large bowl. Place dough in it, and cover with a towel. Set in a warm
place to rise until double in size (1 to 2 hours).
10. Punch down the dough; remove from bowl onto floured board. Let it rest 5 to
10 minutes. Raisins should be pushed inside dough (if they stick out, they will
burn).
For 2 round loaves:
1. Divide dough in half. Divide each portion in half.
2. Roll one piece into a long, smooth strip. Coil this strip into a circle on a
greased cookie sheet. Pinch the end under.
3. Divide second portion into 2 unequal strips, about 2/3 and 1/3. Roll into
smooth strips.
4. Take the larger of the 2 and make a second coil on top of the first. Take the
last piece and make a third coil on top.
Baking:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix 1 raw egg yolk with 1 tsp. water;
brush the loaves for a shiny crust.
2. Bake for 15 minutes to brown crust. Reduce heat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and
bake 15 more minutes (30 minutes total). Cool and remove from pans.
Alphabet Soup: Jewish
Family Cooking from A to Z, Solomon Schechter Day Schools, 1990.
