'Tis the season for Potica Bread! 
"I am going to make bread to-morrow. So you may imagine me with my sleeves rolled up, mixing flour, milk, saleratus, etc., with a deal of grace. I advise you if you don't know how to make the staff of life to learn with dispatch." ~ Emily Dickinson, American poet (1830-1886)
I have been making this bread for Christmas for 32 years now and started while still in residency. A woman brought this heavenly nut and cinnamon filled sweet bread to our Christmas dinner and I never managed to get the recipe. Thankfully, the Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Ideas issue from the next year... 1978... had the recipe. This was before the advent of the bread machine, back in the dark ages when the milk had to be warmed to just the right temperature and mixed with the yeast mixture to activate it... back when you could still easily find actual blocks of yeast in the grocer's refrigerator section. It was labor intensive to add the flour a bit at a time and keep the sticky dough off the beaters and the sides of the bowls. It took time to go through the long and arduous kneading process with flour strewn all around the kitchen and the waiting for the bread to rise, only to beat it down again and knead some more.
Now, the bread machine on a dough setting has rendered this a much easier task. The ingredients for the bread are thrown in and the machine does the rest so that I can proceed to making a two to three or even sometimes four times batch of the filling. These days I can comfortably make three potica breads a day... four if I really get up a bit earlier.. and the yeast failure rate is almost negligible. I made 25 to give as gifts a couple of years ago and though I am not planning to do that many again, it is time to start because neighbors and friends have given not too subtle hints in that direction already. It is THE family tradition here... Christmas morning breakfast with eggs, bacon, potica bread and coffee.... before opening presents... and sometimes WHILE opening presents too. You cannot eat just one slice!
Since I posted the Potica bread recipe with the pictures and extended notes... that post has without any doubt become my most visited post in history. I notice an occasional visitor almost every day throughout the year... but beginning in late October, these numbers skyrocket and continue on through New Years. So this year I thought I would remind those who might be interested in making this heavenly bread that the full instructions and recipe are here....Potica Bread As Promised from October 2005 and may you enjoy it as well! I can almost smell the baking bread and cinnamon right now!
"If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens." ~ Robert Browning (1812-1889) English poet
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Potica Bread
Yesterday, I made my one and only specialty recipe; Potica Bread. (Yugoslavian Christmas Bread) Someone brought this to a Christmas dinner when I was in residency and it has been a Christmas tradition in my home for 25 years now. I made it before the advent of the bread machine when liquids had to be heated to activate the yeast. It is much easier with a bread machine. So here goes.
Potica Bread
3 ½ cups bread flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup milk
2 tbs. sugar
2 tbs. butter or margarine (melted)
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
Put the flour, yeast, egg, warmed milk, sugar, melted butter and salt in the bread machine and set for the dough cycle. Milk and butter should be between 115 - 120 degrees F.
Personal Notes: - The best bread flour to use is King Arthur's Bread Flour.
- The best yeast is SAF Gourmet Perfect Rise. It can be hard to find but is very consistent.
- I usually let my egg warm in hot water while I measure the ingredients and melt the butter.
- My mom's bread machine has a preheat feature which is wonderful. No more measuring temps for the milk and butter.
- You can use 2% or whole milk with equally good results
While the dough is mixing in the bread machine, prepare the filling.
Filling
2 cups ground walnuts or pecans
1 beaten egg
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 tbs. honey
2 tbs. milk
1 tbs. butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. vanilla
Grind the pecans as fine as possible in a food processor. In mixing bowl combine the nuts, beaten egg, brown sugar, honey, milk, cinnamon, vanilla and melted butter. Stir with mixer on low setting until well mixed. Set filling aside.
More Personal Notes:- I usually use pecans but walnuts or a mixture of both can be used.
- I like a little more filling in mine than this makes, so I sometimes I increase the amount of brown sugar, honey, and nuts.
- The honey and nuts can be varied to determine the thickness of the filling paste.
- This recipe is quite forgiving, I'm not always real precise with the measurements of the vanilla and cinnamon, because I really like vanilla and cinnamon.
Punch dough down. On a large floured cloth, or on the counter, roll dough to a thickness of no more than 1/8 inch. This should be at least 30 x 20 inches. Spread the dough evenly with the nut filling to within ½ inch of the edges of the dough.
And More Personal Notes:- I like more filling but you have to make sure it is not too thick. If you put too much filling in the bread will not hold together as well when sliced.
- I roll my dough out on our kitchen counter with just a little flour. The counter is a solid Corian surface, very easy to clean and it makes a great rolling surface.
- We have a silicone rolling pin that needs no flour, otherwise I would use either a cloth covered rolling pin that is well floured so the dough won't stick.
- Take your time rolling out the dough and get it as rectangular as you can. This can take a while because the dough is quite elastic. Don't give up, it will roll out.
Starting along the long side, slowly lift and roll up the dough jelly-roll fashion. Take your time and keep as even as possible. A little flour on the fingertips will help if there has been any sticking to the surface. Rub final edges with a little water and pinch edges carefully to seal. The rolled dough and filling will look a bit like a snake at this point. Place one end of roll in center of large, greased baking sheet. Coil dough to make a snail-shaped spiral keeping the closure seam on the bottom of the spiral; seal the end by tucking it under the coil securely.
And Even More Personal Notes:- The best way to keep the seal seam line from cracking open during the final rise or baking is to make sure it is placed down, on the cookie sheet.
- You can do this by picking up the dough "snake" by both ends and twisting the seal seam while you make the spiral.
- Instead of greasing the cookie sheet, we have started using the no stick baking sheets.
Cover with light cloth, let rise in warm place till nearly double, about 30 to 45 minutes. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. If desired, top with powdered sugar icing. Makes one coffee bread.
I Bet You're Wondering If She Will Ever Quit With The Personal Notes:- I let mine rise uncovered in a very slightly warm oven and for the first fifteen minutes I set a glass measuring cup with boiling water in the oven for moisture, then remove it.
- The baking time will depend on the oven but I have never left one in over 30 minutes, occasionally only 25 minutes.
- Don't bake on the lowest rack.
- Immediately after removing from the oven, I slide the bread onto a metal cooling rack and don't cover it until completely cool.
- One of my friends always made a powdered sugar glaze to put on top and on occasion I will sprinkle plain powdered sugar, but I really just like it plain or heated for about 10 seconds in the microwave.
- Cuts best with an electric knife after completely cooled. I usually cut it in half first and then make slices perpendicular to the flat cut surface.
Doesn't this look yummy? Guess what? It is heaven on earth!
Enjoy!
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