This is actually the 'official' Armenian Easter bread, but we ate it
at every holiday. Mahleb can be found at Middle Eastern stores, or
ordered from any good online spice merchant.
Choreg
1 cup whole milk
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup margarine
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 teaspoons white sugar
2 (.25 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
5 eggs
6 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoons ground mahleb [see note]
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Directions
1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, butter and
margarine. Heat until butter and margarine are melted, but do not let
it boil. Stir in 1 cup of sugar until dissolved, then set aside to
cool to lukewarm.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, dissolve 2 teaspoons of sugar in warm
water. Sprinkle the yeast over the surface, and let stand until
frothy, about 10 minutes.
3. Crack the eggs into a large bowl, and stir a little to break up
the yolks. Slowly pour in the heated milk mixture while whisking
constantly, so as to temper the eggs and not cook them. Add the yeast
mixture, and stir just until blended.
4. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, mahleb, and
salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the wet mixture. Stir
until it forms a sticky dough. Pour onto a floured surface, and knead
in additional flour as needed to make a more substantial dough. Knead
for about 10 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, and set in a warm place
to rise for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
5. When the dough has doubled, punch down again, and let rise until
doubled. It will only take about half as long this time.
6. Separate the dough into 5 even portions, then separate each of
those into thirds. Roll each of those into ropes about 12 inches
long. Braid sets of three ropes together, pinching the ends to seal,
and tucking them under for a better presentation. Place the loaves
onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Loaves should be
spaced 4 inches apart. Set in a warm place to rise until your finger
leaves an impression behind when you poke the loaf gently.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Brush the
loaves with beaten egg, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
8. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until nicely golden
brown all over.
Deborah
[Editor's note: mahleb is the ground seeds of the St. Lucie Cherry.
Available from thespicehouse.com and amazon.com, among others. I'd
never heard of it - now we'll have to try it! - Reggie]