Julekaker mange ulike, fra hele verden - planlagt til neste jul!

Author: Leona Konkel

Ingredients

To make the jar mix:

•2 1/2 cups flour (divided)

•1 teaspoon salt

•1/4 cups poppy seeds

•1 1/2 cups golden raisins (although I used the plain variety)

•1 packet active rapid-rise yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons) (and now I realize that my yeast wasn't rapid-rise, and I don't think the yeast that I gifted was, either)

To make the bread:

•1 jar Lithuanian Christmas Bread Mix

•1 ¼ cups milk

•¼ cup 1/2 stick butter

•3 tablespoons honey

•Additional honey to glaze

Instructions

To make the jar mix:

1.Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and salt. Separately, combine remaining 1 cup flour with poppy seeds. Pour 3/4 cup flour mixture into 1-quart jar; pack well. Add 3/4 cup poppy seed mixture, followed by remaining flour, remaining poppy seeds, and raisins. Pack well after each addition. Place yeast packet in small plastic bag and add to top of jar. Seal jar.

To make the bread, add these instructions:

1.Lithuanian Christmas Bread1 jar Lithuanian Christmas Bread Mix¼ cups milk¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter3 tablespoons honeyAdditional honey to glaze

2.Grease 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Remove bag from jar. Pour remaining contents of jar into large bowl. Add yeast and mix well.

3.Heat milk, butter, and honey in small saucepan over low heat until temperature reaches 130F (just under a simmer; I do this until it steams). Add to dry ingredients and stir until dough forms. Transfer to prepared loaf pan. Let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. (I would probably let this rise until it reaches the top of the loaf pan.)

4.Bake 45 minutes at 350F or until loaf springs back when touched in the center. Brush with extra honey during last 5 minutes of baking to glaze. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then remove from pan to cool completely.