22 December 2024
When we were making the Work Plan for 2025, we decided to launch our culinary section.
This was the third new activity we launched in the last two years, in addition to the Zmijanje embroidery workshop and the hiking section.
When we received an invitation to present ourselves at the Christmas Bread Festival in December, we didn't hesitate at all, we signed up right away. So much ahead of schedule, our section started working. We quickly agreed on everything, Bernarda as the head of the section, two hard-working Olgas: Suvajac and Delić and me of course, how would it go without me. We presented ourselves at the Christmas Bread Festival very successfully, with ease and pleasure. Olga Suvajac and Bernarda, two magicians, made Christmas bread decorated with beautiful birds. Olga Delić was the master craftswoman. And I made gingerbread, rolls and salty pine tree. Everyone was satisfied with our stand and our president Mladen said that we could make something for our Christmas party. That's how the idea was born for our first culinary workshop on the premises of the Asociation.
We invited members to join us. Master craftswomen Olga and Bernarda prepared the dough, and we participants: Olga, Vera, Ziza and I brought aprons, rolling pins and good mood. We prepared the table and rolled up our sleeves. I played music, because everything is easier with music. They showed us how to make little doves - dough balls. Cloves served for the doves’ eyes. We quickly filled the first tray, coated the dough with egg yolk and put them in the oven to bake. During that time, our friends Ivan and Muki decorated the space and prepared coffee for the cooks. It couldn't go without Muki's good brandy. Soon the whole room was filled with the smell of warm pastries and coffee. One, two, three trays and baskets full of yellow, beautiful doves. The atmosphere was very festive. The members of the Association slowly arrived and everyone brought something to the table. We all treated each other nicely, socialised, and sang. They praised our handicrafts, and an agreement was immediately reached on what will be done at the second workshop in the New Year 2025 and who will lead the workshop. So, in a happy festive atmosphere, we finished our first culinary workshop, very satisfied.
We invite everyone who is interested in exploring Slovenian cuisine to join us as both participants and workshop leaders. We are giving you the recipe for Christmas bread.
Ingredients:
• 1 kg flour
• 20 g instant yeast* or 42 g of fresh yeast
• 30 g salt
• 160 g room temperature butter
• 500 ml warm milk
• 2 eggs
• 50 g sugar
• grated peel of one lemon
• 1 egg for brushing
*make sure that the packaging says that you can mix the yeast directly into the dough. Some types of dry yeast must be mixed with water, sugar and flour before use, just like fresh yeast.
Instructions:
Dough
1. Mix flour and instant yeast in a bowl. If you have fresh yeast, crumble the yeast into a small bowl and mix with lukewarm milk, flour and sugar (subtract as much as you use from the amount in the recipe). Let it sit in a warm place for about 10 minutes to allow the yeast to grow a little.
2. Heat the milk, sugar and butter in a pan until the butter melts.
3. Add lemon peel to the milk mixture and mix well.
4. When the milk mixture has cooled enough, add the eggs and mix.
5. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix a little. Add salt and knead by hand or with a mixer until the dough becomes soft and elastic. It should not stick to your hands. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place until it doubles in size (about 60 minutes).
Making the bread
1. Heat the oven to 180°C.
2. Take a third of the dough and set aside for decorations. Shape the rest into a round loaf.
3. Leave the loaf to rest and prepare the decorations. These are usually birds and stars. You can use cookie cutters for some decorations like stars.
4. Leave the decorated loaf to rise in a warm place.
5. Break the egg and spread it on the bread.
6. Bake for 50 minutes. After 10 to 15 minutes, cover with aluminum foil to prevent the decorations from burning. After approximately 30 minutes, cover the entire tray with aluminum foil.
7. Slice and serve.
Let's cook together!!!
Ljiljana Memon
