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

Woe from Wit

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

GET YOURS

Join Our Tribe

Get The Weekly Russia File + exclusive discounts. It's like a smart, offbeat friend who emails you every week with all the stuff you don't want to miss.

Join Now

On This Day

Notable events on this day in Russian history

1994: Vice President Al Gore and Russian Prime Minister Victor Chernomyrdin signed a $400 million agreement sealing plans for a jointly run space station.

1960: Soviet plan for mastery of space issued. Decree 715-296 'On the Production of Various Launch Vehicles, Satellites, Spacecraft for the Military Space Forces in 1960-1967' authorized design of a range of spacecraft and launch vehicles by Korolev, Yangel, an

1946: Alexander Kaydanovsky, actor, born in Rostov-on-Don (died 1995)

Read Me Too

Amber Room

July 03, 2001

The Sino-Soviet Love-Hate Relationship

February 14, 2015

A Very Russki Cinco de Mayo

May 05, 2016

Crime Doesn't Pay

August 09, 2018

A Few Books

Survival Russian

February 01, 2009

The Little Humpbacked Horse

November 03, 2014

Resilience ~ The Russian Version (Переживем)

August 17, 2018

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.