The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

POLISH SWEET BREAD

INGREDIENTS:
3 PACKAGES ACTIVE DRY YEAST (ONE-QUARTER OUNCE EACH)
ONE-HALF CUP LUKEWARM WATER
ONE TEASPOON SUGAR
2 STICKS OF BUTTER (OR ONE STICK MARGARINE AND ONE BUTTER)
2 CUPS SCALDED MILK
2 CUPS SUGAR
2 CUPS FLOUR
2 TEASPOONS SALT
GRATED ORANGE RIND OF ONE ORANGE
ONE TEASPOON NUTMEG
2 TEASPOONS VANILLA
6 EGGS (SEPARATE YOLKS FROM WHITES)
5 CUPS FLOUR
DIRECTIONS:
WHILE THE MILK IS STILL HOT, ADD THE BUTTER AND LET IT MELT.
MIX THE YEAST, WATER, AND TEASPOON OF SUGAR; LET IT STAND AND RISE.
PUT THE TWO CUPS OF SUGAR, TWO CUPS OF FLOUR, AND SALT IN A LARGE
PAN.
MAKE A WELL IN IT; POUR IN THE COOLED MILK AND THE RAISED YEAST; BEAT
IT TOGETHER UNTIL IT'S MIXED GOOD.
BEAT THE EGG WHITES AND YOLKS (SEPARATELY); ADD THE YOLKS TO THE
MIXTURE AND THEN THE WHITES; THEN ADD THE VANILLA; MIX TOGETHER THE
FIVE CUPS OF FLOUR, THE ORANGE RIND, AND THE NUTMEG AND ADD IT TO
THE MIXTURE.
BEAT THE MIXTURE GOOD FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES AT LEAST.
LET IT RAISE IN A WARM PLACE UNTIL IT HAS DOUBLED IN SIZE (AT LEAST);
PUT DOUGH IN ANY SIZE OF PANS (BETTER IN SMALL PANS).
BAKE AT 325 DEGREES FOR 25 MINUTES.
OPTIONAL: SLICED APPLES OR RAISINS CAN BE ADDED TO THE BREAD; ANY OF
THE INGREDIENTS CAN BE INCREASED OR DECREASED IN QUANTITY ACCORDING
TO PERSONAL TASTE; EXPERIMENT WITH VARIOUS AMOUNTS.

Submitter comment: MY GRANDMOTHER (THE INFORMANT) LEARNED HOW TO MAKE THIS BREAD BY
WATCHING HER MOTHER MAKE IT. HER MOTHER MEASURED ALL THE INGREDIENTS
WITH HER HANDS, SO THE RECIPE WAS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT EACH TIME IT WAS
MADE. MY GRANDMOTHER IS THE FIRST PERSON TO ATTEMPT TO WRITE OUT THE
RECIPE AND SHE TOO CHANGES THE RECIPE SLIGHTLY EACH TIME SHE BAKES
THE BREAD.

Where learned: DETROIT