VASILOPITA (NEW YEAR BREAD)
Greek New Year Bread is traditionally cut at midnight on New Year's Eve. After baking, a coin is inserted through a slit in the base. The person who finds the coin will have luck in the New Year. Long ago the coin used to be a gold one, then later a silver coin was used. These could be incorporated into the dough before baking. Nowadays because of the nickel content of coins it is undesirable to bake a coin in the cake. From: "The Complete Middle East Cookbook" by Tess Mallos ISBN: 1 86302 069 1
Provided by basia1
Categories Yeast Breads
Time 14m
Yield 1 loaf
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup of the milk.
- Add remainder of milk, eggs, orange rind and sugar.
- Sift 3 cups flour, salt and spices into a warm bowl and make a wellin the centre.
- Pour in yeast mixture and stir to blend in flour, gradually adding warm melted butter.
- Mix dough with hands until it comes away from sides.
- Turn on to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding remaining flour as required.
- Knead for 10 minutes.
- Place ball of dough in a clean bowl brushed with melted butter.
- Turn dough over to coat top with butter and cover bowl with a cloth or plastic wrap.
- Leave to prove (rise) in a warm place until doubled in bulk.
- Punch down and turn on to lightly floured surface.
- Knead lightly and shape into a round loaf.
- Place on a large greased baking sheet or in a greased 10 inch deep cake tin.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- Glaze with well-beaten egg and arrange blanched almonds in numbers to denote the New Year, pressing in lightly.
- Bake in a moderately hot oven for 45 minutes until golden brown and cooked when tested.
- If bread browns too quickly place a piece of greased brown paper on top.
- Cool on a wire rack.
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