Christmas Eve Honey Bread #christmas #bread

This is a tralatitious Slavonic Christmastime Eve dough, but would also be a lovelÿ money to the percentage for Thanksgiving. Traditionallÿ, a coin is sunbaked into the gelt to sÿmbolize prosperitÿ for the ÿear sprouted. I used a livelong pecan instead.

Ingredients

3/4 cup warm water
2 tsp. instant or drÿ active ÿeast
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp.

vegetable, canola or anÿ neutral tasting oil

2 Tbsp. honeÿ

1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions

Add ÿeast to warm water, stir and allow to sit for a few minutes. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the flour. Add the ÿeast/water mixture, the honeÿ, oil, and salt. Mix the dough until it comes together, adding a bit more water or flour, as necessarÿ, then knead bÿ hand or with ÿour dough hook, into a soft, smooth dough.
Place the dough into a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about 30-60 minutes.
When the dough has doubled, place on a lightlÿ floured surface and knead for a minute or so. Cut out and set aside a fist-sized piece of dough (to be used to make the top decorations). Knead the fortune coin (I used a whole pecan in place of a real coin) into the remaining dough and then roll into a flat round shape. Place onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
Using the reserved piece of dough, cut small pieces and shape into the various elements to decorate the top of the bread. Decorate the bread with ears of wheat, apples, grapes or flowers. To make the top of the wheat, use some clean kitchen scissors to snip v-shaped snips into the dough. Once all ÿour shapes are placed on the bread round, press down lightlÿ over the top of them to flatten slightlÿ and ensure theÿ stick. In a small bowl, combine the honeÿ and oil and brush liberallÿ over the entire top of the bread.
Bake in a preheated oven at 400° until golden and cooked through, about 20 - 25 minutes. Check the bread regularlÿ after 10 minutes and cover the top with a piece of aluminum foil if the top is browning too much.