Honey Bread & Honey Cookies

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Reader Esther Glas writes,

Okay, so I'm probably too late to submit this for this week's collection
of Ukrainian recipes, but I just received it in an email, and yes, the
way my Ukrainian parents made pierogies was with fried onions and bacon,
and served with sour cream.

An elderly Ukrainian man lay dying in his bed. While suffering the
agonies of impending death, he suddenly smelled the aroma of his
favorite pierogi with fried onions wafting up the stairs. He gathered
his remaining strength, and lifted himself from the bed. Gripping the
railing with both hands, he crawled downstairs.

Downstairs, he leaned against the door frame, gazing into the kitchen,
where if not for death's agony, he would have thought himself already in
heaven, for there, spread out upon waxed paper on the kitchen table were
hundreds of his favorite pierogi.

Was it heaven? Or was it one final act of love from his wife of sixty
years, seeing to it that he left this world a happy man? He threw
himself towards the table, landing on his knees in a crumpled posture.
His parched lips parted, the wondrous taste of the pierogi was already
in his mouth.

With a trembling hand he reached up to the edge of the table, when
suddenly he was smacked with a wooden spoon by his wife. "Back off!" she
said. "Those are for the funeral."

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            TODAY'S RECIPES
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This sweet bread would most likely be made with buckwheat honey in
Ukraine, so use that if you can get it for a taste of authenticity.
Otherwise, any dark, strongly flavored honey will do just fine.

Honey Bread (Medivnyk)

2 cups (500 ml) honey
8 eggs, separated
6 Tbs (90 ml) butter at room temperature
2 cups (500 ml) sugar
6 cups (1.5 L) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
2 tsp (10 ml) baking soda
2 tsp (10 ml) ground cinnamon
The grated zest and juice of 1 orange
1 cup (250 ml) strong coffee
1 cup (250 ml) sour cream
1 cup (250 ml) chopped hazelnuts (filberts) or walnuts

Heat the honey in a pot over moderate heat until it boils. Set aside and
cool to room temperature. Beat the egg yolks with the butter until light
and fluffy. Add the sugar and honey and beat. Sift together the flour,
baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and add to the honey mixture.
Add the orange zest and juice, coffee, and sour cream and beat just
until no dry flour can be seen. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks
form and fold into the flour mixture. Stir in the chopped nuts. Pour
into 2 or 3 buttered and floured loaf pans and bake in a preheated 325F
(165C) oven for 1 hour. Cool on wire racks and wrap in plastic wrap or
aluminum foil when cool. Will keep refrigerated for several weeks. Makes
2 to 3 loaves.

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These sweet cookies are especially popular around Christmas.

Honey Cookies (Medianyky)

4 cups (1 L) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 ml) powdered (confectioner's) sugar
2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground cloves
1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground ginger
1/2 tsp (2 ml) freshly grated nutmeg
2 eggs
1 cup (250 ml) honey
2 Tbs (30 ml) grated orange zest
1 egg beaten with a little water
About 20 blanched almonds, split in half
Coarse sugar crystals

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and spices. Stir in the
eggs, honey, and orange zest to make a stiff dough. Roll the dough to a
thickness of 1/2 inch (1 cm) on a floured surface and cut into shapes
with cookie cutters. Place on a baking sheet (preferable non-stick) and
brush with the egg and water mixture. Place 1/2 almond on each, sprinkle
with coarse sugar, and bake in a preheated 350F (180C) oven for about 15
minutes. Cool on wire racks and store in an airtight container. Makes
about 40 cookies.
Received on Thu Mar 8 21:50:14 2007