March 02, 2000

Blackbread Recipe

by Linda DeLaine

Makes two large round loaves; about 30 servings

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups water	2 pkgs. dry yeast	1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup white vinegar	1/4 cup blackstrap molasses	1 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 tsp. salt	1 tblsp fennel seeds	4 1/4 cups flour
5 cups rye flour		3/4 cups dates

Preparation

1. Place 1/2 cup warm water in large warm bowl. Sprinkle in yeast; stir until dissolved. Add remaining water, butter, vinegar, molasses, melted chocolate, salt and fennel seeds. Note; many like to add 2 tsp. instant coffee granules, too.

Slowly stir in 3 cups of flour; blend well. Stir in rye flour and make a soft dough.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Cover with damp, clean dish towel and let rest for 15 minutes. Knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 to 15 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

2. Punch dough down. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead in chopped dates. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a ball. Place each ball in a greased 8-inch round cake pan or on large greased baking sheet. Cover; let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Bake loaves for 45 minutes or until done. Remove from pans; let cool on wire racks.

Tags: russian cuisine blackbread recipe

How to Live 100 Russian Years

The 22 heroes in this volume were all born in 1917 – Russia’s year of revolution. They lived through Civil War, Collectivization, World War II, the Cold War, and the collapse of the USSR. Indeed, their lives are a living reflection of the past Russian century, and their stories show us a side of history not available in any other resource.

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On This Day

Notable events on this day in Russian history

1994: Russia signed an agreement with Kazakhstan to rent Baikonur launchpad, springboard of the former Soviet Union's space program.

1991: Tens of thousands of Soviet radicals defied a Kremlin ban to stage rallies in support of radical Russian leader Boris Yeltsin

1925: Innokenty Smoktunovsky, actor, born (died 1994)

1854: France and England, allied with Ottoman Empire, declare war on Russia. The Crimean War begins.

1776: Bolshoi theatre founded in Moscow

1554: Ivan IV's son, Ivan Ivanovich, born (murdered by his father in 1581).

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