Cheoreg (Sweet Coffee Roll)
5 eggs, plus 2 eggs for eggwash
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup milk
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening, melted
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 to 21/2 pounds all-purpose unbleached flour (not bread flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon mahlab (optional, see note)
2 envelopes yeast (not instant)
2 teaspoons sugar for proofing yeast
Sesame seeds for topping
Black caraway seeds for topping (optional, see note)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
In a mixer with paddle attachment, mix the 5 eggs and 1 1/4 cups
sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add milk, butter and shortening.
Meanwhile, proof the yeast: In a 2-cup measuring cup, place 1/2
cup warm water (110 degrees is ideal), add yeast and the 2 teaspoons
sugar and stir to incorporate. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to
rise 5 minutes.
To half of the flour, add the baking powder and the mahlab, if
using, and mix into wet ingredients to incorporate. Add the risen
yeast.
Using the dough hook, incorporate remaining flour a little at a
time, only to the point that the dough has a soft, just-past-sticky
consistency. It is far better to use less flour than more -- more
can be added later.
Place about 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large bowl. Turn the
dough into the bowl and turn over dough in the oil so that top and
bottom surfaces are coated. Cover bowl with a tea towel and allow
dough to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Cut dough into pieces, sized according to preference. (Dolly
Matoian divides the dough to produce about 30 rolls and 2 larger
loaves.) To make rolls of uniform size, weigh the pieces so each is
about 2 1/4 ounces. To make 2 loaves, you'll need 6 larger pieces of
dough -- each piece weighing 5 ounces. Form the dough pieces into
balls, smoothing their surface.
To make rolls, begin with the balls you formed first and roll each
ball into a 6-inch-long cylinder about 3/4-inch thick. Tie the
cylinder into a knot and place on a parchment-lined tray. Continue
forming knots, placing rolls on tray about 3 inches apart.
To make loaves, roll each 5-ounce ball of dough into a 10-inch-
long cylinder about 1 inch thick. For each loaf, place three
cylinders side by side with a little space between and braid them,
turning under the ends to make an attractive appearance. Place the
loaves 3 inches apart on a parchment-lined tray.
Cover rolls and/or loaves with a tea towel and let rise for
another hour or so.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in
center. Beat the 2 eggs with a fork and brush the eggwash on top and
sides of rolls and/or loaves. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and black
caraway seeds, if using. Bake rolls about 15 minutes, loaves about
20 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
When the rolls and loaves have cooled, they can be frozen for
later use. To serve, just heat in the microwave. The loaves,
sliced, also make excellent toast.
Makes 30 rolls and 2 loaves.
Note: Mahlab, a sweet spice, is expensive (about $1.75 an ounce)
and can be omitted, but it gives the bread its distinctive flavor.
Buy it in small quantities in Middle Eastern markets, and ask the
clerk to grind the mahlab seeds into a powder; it stores well in the
freezer. The same markets also sell black caraway seeds.
Per serving: 173 calories; 6 g fat (2.9 g saturated fat; 31
percent calories from fat); 46 mg cholesterol; 24 mg sodium, 25.5 mg
carbohydrates.
Where to shop
Ingredients for Armenian dishes are available at many Middle
Eastern markets:
Babylon Foods, 6609 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield. (810) 851-
4343.
Yaldoo's Imported Foods, 27120 Evergreen, Lathrup Village. (810)
552-9898.
Oasis Mart, 4130 Rochester Rd., Royal Oak. (810) 588-2210.
Source:rec.food.cooking