"Fressshhh breaaadddd." These are the Homer Simpson-type thoughts that run through my head when I smell fresh bread baking in the oven. Can there be a smell any more heavenly? Yesterday I experimented with a new bread, Armenian sweet bread. I was drawn to the recipe because of its use of mahlep (Μαχλέπι), or ground cherry pits utilized as a spice. I'd never used this ingredient before and was anxious to give it a try.
As a "little pinch of this, little pinch of that" type person with a great disdain for a scientific approach to food preparation (or anything, really), baking presents special challenges as it's so much more a regimented endeavor than other types of cooking. Exact measurements and great attention to detail become necessary, which is a difficult process for somebody who enjoys varying and experimenting according to taste and mood. Such a scientific approach to food gives me a headache. Bread and pastry chefs surely must be left-brained people.
But yesterday I decided to show some discipline and attempt this recipe just as it was written. I'm so glad I did. This bread was absolutely delicious with its faintly perfumed notes of cherry, orange, and honey. Actually, it was one of the most interesting breads I've tasted and I'll certainly be making this again and again.
1. First I placed 1/4 cup of warm water into a bowl with 1 tsp dry active yeast. This was allowed to sit for 15 mins undisturbed.
2. To this bowl, I then added 3 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground mahlep, and 1/2 cup warm soy milk. As the mixer began to combine mixture (with the bread paddle), I additionally added 2 egg whites, 3 tsp butter, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp honey, and the zest of one orange. I allowed this to mix between 5-10 minutes.
3. Next I removed the dough and placed into a greased bowl, turning it over to evenly coat the surface. After placing a damp towel over the bowl, I allowed the bread to rise for a few hours. (The original recipe suggests 3 to 24 hours.)
4. After the dough had doubled in size, I punched down the dough and kneaded in 1 cup of raisins. I then cut the dough into three pieces, created three long rolls, and braided the dough into a single loaf. (Use a little flour to more easily handle each roll.) Covering the bread again with a damp towel, I allowed the bread to rise again for one hour.
5. Before placing the loaf into the oven at 375F (340F for convection oven), I coated the surface with an egg-yolk and mixture. Mix 1 yolk with 2 tsp water and whip with a fork until frothy. Then surface was then coated using a pastry brush. After coating, I also added a some poppy seeds to the surface. For non-convection, the baking time is 40-50 mins. For convection ovens, my baking time was around 32 mins.
Comments
This sounds really good Johnny. There's a recipe that this reminds me of (god knows why) for King's Day Bread in this ancient cookbook my mum has at home. It looks delicious, much like yours.
Speaking of home I never did get round to trying that Kimchee recipe...
Posted by: Granthrax | July 2, 2006 08:12 PM
I've never heard of mahlep. Did you buy it online or from a store, if a store which kind? thanks.
The bread looks delicious and your description makes me want to have a go at it. Though I am pretty much a one pot screamer the effort to bake this beauty looks worth it.
Posted by: Bridie Knight | July 2, 2006 11:00 PM
I have never heard of cherry pits used as spice! (and I grew up in the Cherry Capitol of the World, Traverse City, Michigan).
Posted by: homer | July 3, 2006 07:10 AM
Thank you for this post! I bought Mahlab @ Penzey's, but couldn't find anything to make with it. Can't wait to try this.
Posted by: Rob | July 3, 2006 02:14 PM
Evil Jungle Prince ! That last close up shot is so PORN it's not even funny.
I don't have any armenian sweet bread. I'm gonna go make some toast.
Posted by: jpv | July 3, 2006 07:30 PM
That's a yummy looking bread!
Posted by: SkyJuice7 | July 4, 2006 04:19 AM
Dear Everyone: for a while there, I thought nobody loved me anymore because I wasn't getting any comments. Imagine my surprise when I discovered all of your comments in my 'junk' box (due to an overzealous filter): gah!!
Granthrax: I'm really discovering bread for the first time.. I suggest you do the same with kimchi!
Birdie: I got my mahlep online from the Greek Olive Warehouse. I keep seeing it as a recipe and finally I broke down and bought some. (And some good olive oil, too.)
Homer: yeah, I think they are used a lot in Greece and the Middle East, as a spice.
Rob: welcome! Email pictures when you're done so we can see.
JPV: I do try and keep it hot in here. You really should try this one.. so different.
Sky: thanks, I can attest to the truth in this statement. Mmmm.
Posted by: Evil Jonny | July 5, 2006 02:55 PM
Wow, what a great recipe. I haven't tried it yet, but I will soon. I've recently started making traditional breads, but this is one modern loaf! Cherry pits as a spice? That's the coolest thing I've heard in days. I came across this recipe looking for a recipe for a traditional Armenian sweet bread...glad I came across this site instead.
Posted by: Shenin | November 11, 2006 10:03 AM
Your recipe is right on! Armenia has a wide range of great breads. The use of cherry pits ground into a 'spice' gives rise to the genius of Armenian ingenuity. Having championed Armenia as a great Tourist destination TRAVELSAPIEN endorses the sharing of such food tastes. Not Armenian but cannot help but admire the people, their rebirth from some pretty hard times, all be it still much of Armenia is in need of infrastructure and business opportunity. In the meantime, their breads, their dried fruits, etc. are worth the trip itself. Thanks for the post. Well done.
Posted by: TRAVELSAPIEN | November 24, 2006 10:04 AM
Do you have a the festive sweet bread recipe? If you do please send it or E-Mail it to me. Thank you so much
Posted by: Sousan Madjerian | April 1, 2007 05:21 PM
Sousan: the recipe is located inside this entry, under the second photo.
Posted by: Evil J | April 1, 2007 08:31 PM
Hi, saw your recipe - Thanks! I am looking for something special to bake for my friend's daughter's wedding. I saw that many people remember Gata with a filling. I found this recipe, which does not use Mahlep, so I am going to try your bread recipe with this filling recipe, perhaps making some changes to the bread recipe as well. Also, please caution folks that anyone taking Coumadin or Warfarin or any anti-coagulents should be careful when eating anything with Mahlep, as it has some of the same properties - moderation, I imagine, would be fine.
First, another bread recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Choereg-Armenian-Easter-Bread/Detail.aspx
Recipe with filling:
http://www.accc.org.uk/Issue%20No.6%20-%20March%202006.pdf
Source: ‘Hamaink’, March 2006, a newsletter published by the Armenian Community & Church Council of Great Britain
Wednesday, 22nd of March in the Armenian Church Calendar is Michink or Mid Lenten Day. Our Editorial Committee member, Matilda Megerdichian, informs us that a common way to mark the occasion from a culinary point of view is to prepare a festive meal to be shared with family and friends. A touch of fun is added to the occasion by cutting and dividing the freshly baked gata to discover who gets the coin that was placed in it before baking, which is viewed as a symbol of good luck and prosperity for the year ahead. Here is a recipe for gata, which you may enjoy with or without the symbolical coin. Anoush!
GATA
Dough:
4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups milk
1 packet dried yeast
1 cup butter
pinch of salt
1 egg (for brushing the gata)
Filling or Koritz:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
1 coin for each gata (wrapped in foil)
If desired, add:
1/4 cup chopped nuts, 1/4 cup sugar,
cinnamon to taste
Soften yeast in one cup of milk, melt the sugar in the other cup of milk, then combine the two. Add melted butter, savingtwo tablespoons to use for brushing the dough. Gradually add the flour and salt to the liquid and when all of it is absorbed, knead well. It should be a soft dough. Cover and let it rise (takes two to three hours).
When dough has doubled in size, divide it in to six portions. Take one portion at a time and roll out to thickness of 1/4" or a bit less. Brush the entire open dough with melted butter, then fold the dough to a square 5"x5". Divide the Koritz into six portions as well and place one portion in the centre of this square, now hide the coin in the Koritz and bring over opposite corners of the square to cover the Koritz. Then roll out the dough to the size of a small pie, brush with eggs, and design the gata with a fork or some other gadget. Let this rise again for 15 minutes, then bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) until browned (about 1/2 hour).
Koritz:
Melt the butter and blend in the cup of flour, on very low flame, keep stirring until the flour and butter are well blended and the colour of the koritz is pink. If you are going to add the other ingredients, do it after you take the mixture off the heat.
Posted by: EsmereldaPea | April 13, 2007 08:16 AM
The gata (pronounced "katta") we buy from http://www.oldcountrybakery.net/1324333.html has a vanilla/orange filling. I can't tell you how delicious it is. I'll try to get the recipe from them and pass it on.
Posted by: Rockdoc | July 21, 2007 06:26 AM
I just wanted to let you know that the name for the bread you call sweet bread is called CHEOREG and it is sweet bread but in english it's called easter bread because we eat it during easter time and also we make cheoreg for the new year to celebrate the beginning of the new year.
Posted by: Daron | August 18, 2008 01:40 PM