Two Ukrainian Holiday Treats Just for You!

The holiday season is upon us, so I wanted to give offer you a few things to do to celebrate.

Holiday Idea #1 - Fix Bobla'ki

One is to fix a Ukrainian dish served on Christmas Eve called Bobla'ki. These baked balls of dough, served with poppy seeds and honey, will only take 15 minutes to prepare (though they will need to rise twice) and 20 minutes to bake.

Dough Ingredients:
2 cups water (Split into 1.5 cups and 0.5 cups)
3 tablespoons sugar (Split into 2 TB and 1 TB)
2 teaspoons salt
5 tablespoons canola oil
2 packages (2 Tablespoons) active dry yeast
6 cups all-purpose flour
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​Syrup Ingredients
1/2 cup poppy seeds
1/2 cup honey

Directions

• Bring 1 1/2 cups water to boil in a medium saucepan. Add 2 TB sugar, salt, and oil. Return to a boil. Remove from stove and cool to until warm.
• Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water and 1 TB sugar.
• Place flour in a bowl. Add the water mixture and the yeast mixture.
• Combine and then knead until smooth. This usually takes 5+ minutes with a stand mixer or 10+ minutes by hand. Cover and let rise until doubled (about an hour).
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Punch down the dough and place onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough so that it is between 1/2 inch and 1 inch thick.
• Cut dough into pieces so that you can roll the pieces between your palms to create 1-inch balls.
• Place the balls, touching, on the lined cookie sheet.
• Cover with oiled plastic wrap. Let sit until doubled.
• Preheat oven to 375F.
• Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Cool.

Make the syrup by:

• Grinding the poppy seeds in a mortar and pestle with a little bit of milk. Warm the honey in the microwave. Mix with the poppy seeds.
• Dip the bread in the syrup.

Enjoy! And be sure to send me a photos! I'd love to know how they turned out.

Holiday Idea #2 - Buy Yourself a Novel
If your family is like mine, then getting a good book is a welcomed gift! You can order your copy of Sunflowers Beneath the Snow. I can't promise it will be here by Christmas, but I can promise that it will be worth the wait! Order your copy today!
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I hope your holiday season, however you celebrate, is all that you want it to be.

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