Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the famous recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

1 Package (2-1/4 teaspoons) active Dry yeast1/4 Cup Plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 Cup Warm water
1 Cup Plus 2 Tablespoons milk
4 Tablespoon (1/2 stick) butter or Margarine1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/8 Teaspoon Ground mace
1/8 Teaspoon Ground cinnamon1/8 Teaspoon Ground nutmeg
1 Egg, lightly beaten
3 3/4 Cup All-purpose flour
2 Tablespoon Butter, melted, for glazing
The method for making Zwieback is quite different from that for most othercrackers. "Zwieback" means "twice baked." First you bake a yeast bread,aromatically flavored with nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, and mace. Then youslice it and slowly dry the slices in a slow oven. For convenience, make thebread over a two-day period. Bake the bread the first day and dry it thesecond. If stored in an airtight container, Zwieback will keep almostindefinitely. In a small bowl, combine the yeast with 1/2 teaspoon of thesugar and the warm water. Set aside in a warm place until the mixture startsto foam, about 5 to 10 minutes. In a small saucepan, mix the milk and theremaining 1/4 cup of the sugar. Add the 4 Tablespoons butter and heat untilthe butter has completely melted. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allowto cool to lukewarm. In a large bowl or in the food processor, combine thecooled 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 theflour, adding just enough to make a smooth dough that is not sticky. Ifmixing by hand, the dough will become too stiff to stir, and you shouldknead 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 damptowel and set the dough in a warm place until it has doubled in bulk, about1-1/2 to 2 hours. Punch the dough down and knead a few strokes. Cover andallow the dough to double in size again, 30 to 45 minutes. Punch the doughdown and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface or pastry cloth. Kneadabout 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 thebaking sheet in a warm place and let the loaves rise until doubled in bulk,about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375F. Bake the risen loaves for 25 to30 minutes, or until the bottoms are reddish brown and make a hollow soundwhen thumped. Allow the loaves to cool thoroughly on racks. Preheat the ovento 200F. 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 60minutes, or until thoroughly dry. Check occasionally and turn the slices
over as they dry on one side. When dry, raise the oven temperature to 300F.for 10 to 20 minutes to brown the Zwieback slightly. Cool on a rack. Yield:40-50.

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