Urbaan


submitted by cnvaness


This bread is offered as Holy Communion in the Orthodox and Catholic
churches in the Middle East. The bread is sometimes also served at Easter
time for breakfast with cheese, olives and other breakfast foods.

1 tsp. Sugar
1/2 lukewarm water
3 tsp. Yeast
2 Cups sugar
2 Cups water (lukewarm)
1 Cup of milk (warm)
1 tsp. Rosewater
1 tsp. Mahlab (see below)
9 Cups of flour
2 tsp. Baking powder
rosewater for brushing on after baking

Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1/2 cup water. Add yeast. Set aside for 5-10
minutes. Meanwhile, dissolve the 2 cups of sugar in 2 cups water and 1 cup
milk in a large bowl. Add rosewater, yeast mixture and mahlab. Gradually
fold in flour and baking powder. Dough should be firm (the consistency of
bread dough). Knead well. Cover with plastic sheet then a tea towel. Leave
to rest in a warm place for 1 hour. Knead again. Leave to rest another 30
minutes. Divide dough into 12 balls. Roll out each into 1/2 inch thick
rounds. Press lightly Over each round with fingers. Then, press teeth of a
fork into the rounds to decorate. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes. Bake
in preheated 400 F oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove
from oven. Saturate in a small cloth in rosewater and wipe thoroughly over
Holy Bread.

Mahlab (whole): Also "mahleb", "mahlep". Small tan kernels of a species of
wild cherry, with an almond and slightly bitter taste (but no prussic
acid), used to flavour breads and pastries in Turkey and the Middle East.
Try 1/2 to 1 tsp per cup of flour in your recipe. Keep whole and grind
fresh as needed. Mahlab This is an unusual spice that is a favourite in
Middle Eastern baking, particularly at Easter. Mahlab or mahleb are the
seed kernels of a black cherry tree that may have first grown around the
Mediterranean. In fact the ancient Lebanese city of Mahalep is mentioned
in the Bible. The fruit of this plant is similar to a sour cherry. The
tree can grow to 35 feet and is very hardy. It resists diseases and
insects. The root stock of this plant is often used to graft less vigorous
North American cherry trees. Mahlab seeds have a slight bitter almond
flavour. Many recipes suggest substituting almonds or even anise for them
but many pastry bakers look for mahlab to add an authentic flavour to
Armenian Cheoreg (coffee rolls), Greek Lambropsomo (Easter Bread), and
Syrian Ma'amoul (date or nut filled pastries). The seeds should be ground
just before adding their flavour to a recipe because the nutty aroma will
dissipate very quickly. Don't buy it powdered unless you are sure that it
smells fresh. An easy way to grind these seeds is by mixing in a little of
the sugar or salt that is bound to be called for in the recipe. Use a
mortar and pestle. The salt or sugar granules will quickly break down the
mahlab seeds into powder.


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