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"What I like to drink most is wine that belongs to others."--Diogenes , 320 BC, Greek philosopher

Arbain (Sweet Bread) Recipe

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This recipe for Arbain (Sweet Bread) is from El Barakay - The Bountiful Table, one of the cookbooks created at FamilyCookbookProject.com. We'll help you start your own personal cookbook! It's easy and fun. Click here to start your own cookbook!
Category:
Category:
Ingredients:  
Ingredients:  
5 lbs flour
2 packages dry yeast
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 cups sugar (see note below)
2 cups warm water (105°)
1 oz mahlab (cherry stone powder)
Directions:
Directions:
Combine flour, sugar, and mahlab. Mix well and put aside.

Add packages of yeast to warm water. Let sit for a few minutes, or until yeast dissolves.

Add water and yeast mixture to flour mixture. Knead dough well. Let dough sit for 10 minutes. Knead dough again.

Divide dough in 11 balls. Cover the dough with a cloth and let sit for 45 minutes.

Roll each ball into a circle approximately 8” diameter and 1” thickness. (My Imme always made a cross shaped design on each piece for “extra blessing”.) Cover the dough with a cloth and heavy blanket and let sit for 3 to 4 hours. Keep dough away from drafts.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place dough on ungreased cookie sheet. Pierce each piece of dough with a fork to avoid air bubbles.

Bake in middle rack until the bottom of the bread is golden brown (approximately 10 minutes).
Number Of Servings:
Number Of Servings:
50
Preparation Time:
Preparation Time:
4 hours
Personal Notes:
Personal Notes:
Arbain is sweet bread that is often baked to use as the Eucharist offering at Maronite and Melkite churches. Also, it is tradition to have the family of a deceased person bring Arbain to the church, have it blessed by the priest, and then offer it to parishioners at the end of a 40 day memorial service. Since my mother’s Arbain was the tastiest with just the right amount of mahlab, she was often asked to bake the Arbain for many memorial services and, lucky for us, she usually made extra loafs to enjoy at home.

 

 

 

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