Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

1 pk (2-1/4 teaspoons) active
Dry yeast
1/4 c Plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 c Warm water
1 c Plus 2 Tablespoons milk
4 tb (1/2 stick) butter or
Margarine
1/2 ts Vanilla extract
1/8 ts Ground mace
1/8 ts Ground cinnamon
1/8 ts Ground nutmeg
1 Egg, lightly beaten
3 3/4 c All-purpose flour
2 tb Butter, melted, for glazing

"Once you have tried homemade Zwieback, you will never again think of
it as only a "baby cracker." The seductive aroma from baking this
fragrant cracker will envelop your kitchen. The final result is a
complexity of flavor that is nothing less than spectacular. Zwieback
takes a lot of effort to make -- but it's worth every minute.

The method for making Zwieback is quite different from that for most
other crackers. "Zwieback" means "twice baked." First you bake a
yeast bread, aromatically flavored with nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla,
and mace. Then you slice it and slowly dry the slices in a slow oven.
For convenience, make the bread over a two-day period. Bake the bread
the first day and dry it the second. If stored in an airtight
container, Zwieback will keep almost indefinitely. In a small bowl,
combine the yeast with 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar and the warm water.
Set aside in a warm place until the mixture starts to foam, about 5
to 10 minutes.

In a small saucepan, mix the milk and the remaining 1/4 cup of the
sugar. Add the 4 Tablespoons butter and heat until the butter has
completely melted. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow to cool
to lukewarm.

In a large bowl or in the food processor, combine the cooled milk
mixture with the yeast mixture. Stir in the vanilla. Add the mace,
cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix well. Beat in the egg.

Slowly add the flour, adding just enough to make a smooth dough that
is not sticky. If mixing by hand, the dough will become too stiff to
stir, and you should knead in the last of the flour with your
fingers. Then knead well for at least 5 minutes, forming the dough
into a ball. If using a food processor, pulse until the dough comes
together in a ball.

Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl and turn it over to
coat all sides. Cover with a damp towel and set the dough in a warm
place until it has doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

Punch the dough down and knead a few strokes. Cover and allow the
dough to double in size again, 30 to 45 minutes.

Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface or
pastry cloth. Knead about 30 seconds to remove the air. Divide the
dough into 3 equal portions. With your hands, roll each into a smooth
cylinder or loaf about 2 inches thick and 9 inches long.

Place the loaves crosswise on a lightly greased or parchment-lined
baking sheet, leaving at least 3 inches between the loaves. Brush all
exposed surfaces of each loaf with the melted butter. Set the baking
sheet in a warm place and let the loaves rise until doubled in bulk,
about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375~F.

Bake the risen loaves for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the bottoms are
reddish brown and make a hollow sound when thumped. Allow the loaves
to cool thoroughly on racks.

Preheat the oven to 200~F.

Cut the cooled loaves into 1/2-inch slices. Place the slices flat on
the baking sheet and allow them to dry out in the oven for 45 to 60
minutes, or until thoroughly dry. Check occasionally and turn the
slices over as they dry on one side. When dry, raise the oven
temperature to 300~F. for 10 to 20 minutes to brown the Zwieback
slightly.

Cool on a rack. Yield: 40-50.

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