Communion (Unleavened) Bread

April 16, 2018 by Leave a Comment

 

communion bread

This communion bread is unleavened bread. Unleavened bread is made without yeast. For information about this, you can click here. That means that it is made without yeast. Jewish people spent time before the Passover getting rid of any leaven in their dwellings. Leaven symbolized sin. They needed to have their homes free from sin.

The bread that was served at the Passover meal was unleavened. This actually goes back to the Exodus, when the people had to pack their bags and go before Pharaoh changed his mind about freeing them.

When the Pharaoh freed the Israelites, it is said that they left in such a hurry that they could not wait for bread dough to rise (leaven). (Source).

Hence the symbol of unleavened bread.

I’ve never had manna, but scripture describes it as a wafer that tasted like honey. The flavor and texture of this bread is what I imagine as manna.

Recently our church had a Passover meal (complete with sitting on the floor at a low table to eat for a two-hour period!).  We learned so much that evening as the customs of the Jewish people were explained and demonstrated to us. This bread was part of the menu that evening.  We recently served as Communion Bread at our service as well.

communion bread

I think the flavor of this bread is child-friendly and is also easy for children to handle for a snack. The recipe comes from Mennonite Country Style Recipes by Esther H. Shank. To get a copy of this cookbook, click here.  For those of you who don’t own this cookbook, here is the recipe.

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Communion Bread
Author: 
Recipe type: Bread
Cuisine: Jewish
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 200
 
A simple wafer-like bread that can be served for Communion or as an unleavened bread.
Ingredients
  • 4 cups flour
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ¾ cup margarine
  • ¾ cup rich milk (evaporated milk or light cream)
Instructions
  1. Mix flour, sugar, and salt together
  2. Reserve ¾ cup of mixture
  3. Cut margarine into remaining mixture until crumbly
  4. Mix rich milk with the reserved dry mixture
  5. Add to the dry crumbly mixture, tossing with a fork until it is moist
  6. Shape into a ball
  7. Roll out into a ¼ inch thick triangle.
  8. Use a pizza cutter to cut into 1¼ x 6 inch strips
  9. Prick each stick with a fork, spacing pricks evenly at 1 or 1½ inches apart
  10. Place on ungreased baking sheet
  11. Bake at 425 until just beginning to brown on the bottom (approximately 15 minutes)
  12. Each pricked section is one serving.

communion bread

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Whole Wheat Buttermilk Bread

March 5, 2018 by Leave a Comment

buttermilk bread

This buttermilk whole wheat bread is a new recipe for me, but I will be making it often. If you love wheat bread, you’ll like this recipe. The buttermilk and eggs in the recipe give it an added texture and protein. My family enjoys this bread, which can be sliced and put into the freezer for later use. Use it a few slices at a time or defrost the entire loaf for dinner a week later.

I found this recipe on another food blog site, and have been given permission to share it here. To visit Paula Roy’s site, simply click here.

buttermilk bread

In addition to the usual bread ingredients of water, yeast, sugar, salt, and oil, you will need eggs and buttermilk. This bread is especially good toasted. A friend who visited when I served it told me that she thinks it has a nutty flavor. I’m not sure where that comes from, and I wonder what the rest of you will say about the flavor of this bread. The texture is very soft and I assume that comes from the buttermilk.

buttermilk bread

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Whole Wheat Buttermilk Bread
Author: 
Recipe type: Bread
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2 loaves
 
An interesting flavor from buttermilk, this whole wheat buttermilk bread is great for toast and for serving with sandwiches or for dinner.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 4 tsp. instant yeast
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • ⅓ cup white sugar
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 Tbsp. salt
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 3-4 cups white flour
Instructions
  1. Combine warm water and yeast
  2. Let it stand until it is foamy (about 5 minutes)
  3. Add buttermilk, sugar, oil, eggs, salt and whole wheat flour
  4. Combine thoroughly, then let stand, covered, for ten minutes. (This gives you time to clean up everything but your flour)
  5. Add 3 cups white flour - ½ cup at a time, blending well each time
  6. Knead with your machine or by hand for 6-8 minutes, adding enough flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of your mixing bowl
  7. Place in greased container and cover
  8. Let rise for one hour
  9. Punch dough down, then divide in two
  10. Shape into loaves and put into greased bread pans
  11. Optional: prick tops with fork all the way to the bottom of the pan
  12. Let rise for 45-60 minutes; keep covered if your house is cool or drafty
  13. Heat oven to 375, then brush tops of the loaves with about 1 tablespoon buttermilk
  14. Bake at 375 for 28-33 minutes

buttermilk bread

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Apple Cake

February 12, 2018 by Leave a Comment

This apple cake is actually a cross between a cake and a bread. It’s the perfect dish to take when you’ve been asked to bring a finger food. Not too rich and not too sweet, it blends both fruit and protein into a moist cake.

We served this recently at a church Christmas dinner to go along with our theme. It was indeed a hit!

The recipe makes two cakes, so you can serve one and freeze the other for a later time. Be sure not to overbake or it will be dry.

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Apple Cake
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 12
 
A moist and tasty cake with apples and walnut as the main ingredients for flavor. The recipe makes two, so you can serve one and freeze the other for a later time.
Ingredients
  • 3 cups apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (Golden Delicious or Granny Smith recommended)
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon (I added a little more)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • Turbinado sugar (to sprinkle on top)
Instructions
  1. Combine the following: flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda
  2. In a separate bowl, mix togethr sugar, oil, and vanilla
  3. Add eggs, one at a time. Stir to combine.
  4. Pour wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir.
  5. Fold in apples and walnuts (the batter will be thick)
  6. Grease 2 loaf pans and spread half of the batter into each pan.
  7. Sprinkle the tops of each loaf with a little sugar
  8. Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for about one hour, or until toothpick in the center comes out clean.

 

 

 



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apple cake

 

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Challah Bread

January 22, 2018 by Leave a Comment

challah bread

Challah bread is a special bread in Jewish cuisine, usually braided and typically eaten on ceremonial occasions such as Sabbath and major Jewish holidays (other than Passover).  We served this in December when we had a special meal at church celebrating the birth of Jesus. Even though we recognize that orthodox Jews do not celebrate Christmas, we wanted to serve authentic Jewish food, so Challah bread was included in the menu.

You’ll mix your dough and then allow it to rest and rise. The eggs and honey give the dough a little heavier feel, but the texture of the bread is soft and chewy.

challah bread

The dough after it is mixed and rising.

This recipe makes two loaves, and for each loaf, you will need two braids. Divide the dough into two portions, then divide each portion into three pieces. The three pieces give you the braids for each challah loaf.

I found this recipe in Daughters of Promise magazine.

I hope you’ll enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

challah bread

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Challah Bread
Author: 
Recipe type: Bread
Cuisine: Jewish
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2 loaves
 
A heart pull-apart recipe for a Jewish bread that's easy to make and fun to eat. Serve it for special occasions or for an authentic Jewish meal.
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp. dry active yeast
  • 1 cup warm water (100-110 degrees)
  • 2 Tbsp. honey
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 3½ cups flour (more if you are kneading by hand)
  • 1 egg yolk OR 2 tsp. melted butter for brushing on top before baking
Instructions
  1. Dissolve yeast in water and let rest for 10 minutes.
  2. Stir in honey and salt and allow it to dissolve
  3. Add beaten eggs
  4. Mix in the flour a little at a time until sticky, then continue to knead more flour into the dough until smooth
  5. Place dough into a greased bowl and allow it to rise to double in size (about one hour)
  6. Divide the dough into two pieces.
  7. With each piece, divide it into three "braids".
  8. Make braids by rolling each piece into a long "rope"
  9. Beginning at one end, braid the "ropes" together.
  10. Tuck the edges underneath
  11. Place each loaf on a greased cookie sheet and brush with egg yolk OR melted butter
  12. Allow bread to rise again
  13. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped
  14. Allow bread to cool, then serve.

 



This post contains affiliate links. Your purchase through an affiliate link brings no additional charge to you. I may receive compensation from purchases made through links on My Windowsill. To learn more about affiliate links, you can click here.

challah bread

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