From ancient times, bread in Russia was perceived as a symbol of fertility and wealth. But a loaf whose shape resembled the sun played a special role in the baking of those years. What is a loaf? This is a traditional pastry, which was present at almost all holidays, for example, matchmaking, wedding, housewarming and so on.
Our ancestors believed that this baking will bring strength, wealth, patience and love to the family. Loaf at that time was attributed to ceremonial bread with elaborate decorations, which was used in many rituals.
Origin history
What is a loaf and how did it appear? The custom to serve homemade cakes on a festive table originated with the ancient Slavs. At that time, bread was considered a great gift from Mother Earth, which symbolized fertility, abundance and wealth. But the sun was considered the patron of bread in Ancient Russia. That is why the loaf has such a shape and is often decorated with ancient symbols.
Regarding the origin of the name for this baking, many historians have conventional theories. Most of them believe that the word "loaf" comes from the ancient Slavic "cow", which means "bride". Thus, home baking personified the fertility and unity of the male and female principles.
Loaf of bread, as it was called before, took a direct part in all the events of the ancient Slavs, beginning with the festive table of the newlyweds and ending with the ritual of burial of the deceased person. For our ancestors, such baking was not just a decoration, it symbolized the unity of souls, brought it closer to the sun and the earth, and also promised the prosperity of the family, prosperity and strong love.
How was the loaf baked?
Before the solemn event, the bride's relatives invited specially trained women - loafers. According to traditions, these should be those girls and women who are happy in marriage and have many children. They were the ones who made the dough and created ornate patterns for decoration. However, only a married man and no one else should have put the loaf in the oven.
During all these processes, prayers and songs were sung so that God's blessings descended on the young. They also attached great importance to the size of the future loaf. The larger the pastries, the stronger and higher was the status of the newly born family.
We have already told you what a loaf is, now let's talk about its decoration. In most cases, such traditional pastries were decorated with ears of wheat and bunches of viburnum. This decor also had a secret meaning - family well-being, harmony and love.
Jewelry designation
The decor of this baking can be the most diverse. It all depends on the event for which a rosy and aromatic loaf is being prepared and baked.
Let's look at the most popular options for decorating from dough:
- grapes symbolize well-being;
- wheat spikelets indicate the fertility and favor of mother earth;
- swans are strong and sincere love forever;
- Roses most often act as an all-consuming love that promises the young many happy years together.
During the preparation of the loaf, a recipe with a photo of which will be below, you can peek at the jewelry options on the Internet or come up with your own decor.
Using funeral baking
In addition to a cheerful and vivid celebration of engagement and weddings, the ancient Slavs escorted relatives who passed away with a loaf. According to traditions, baked goods were prepared before the funeral, and during the ritual ceremony they were placed on the coffin lid.
After the deceased was taken on the last journey, a loaf was handed out to everyone who came to say goodbye to a man. An interesting fact is that the funeral baking was no different from the wedding, symbolizing the connection of the deceased with the mother earth.
How to make a loaf
To make traditional baked goods yourself, you will need the following products:
- kefir - 500 ml;
- chicken egg - 4 pcs;
- granulated sugar - 150 grams;
- a pinch of salt;
- butter - 50 grams;
- dry yeast - 10 grams;
- wheat flour - 1 kg.
A beautiful loaf requires special attention, effort and a lot of time. During the preparation of such baking, you need to completely immerse yourself in the process, not be distracted and follow the step by step instructions.
The method of cooking home baking
It should be noted that before cooking, all products must be fresh and at the same temperature. And during the formation of the dough, it must be wrinkled for 5-10 minutes in order for it to be enriched with oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide.
So, now we will tell you a step-by-step test recipe for a loaf:
- First of all, we sift the flour twice through a sieve. Thus, it becomes more airy and enriched with oxygen.
- Now we turn to the preparation of the dough. Pour warm kefir into a deep bowl, add a tablespoon of sugar, pour dry yeast and a little flour. Mix thoroughly, cover with a towel and remove to a warm place for about half an hour.
- Break the eggs into a bowl, separate the yolks from the protein.
- Melt the butter to room temperature using a microwave.
- Combine the chicken yolks with salt, sugar and butter.
- Mix and pour into the dough as soon as it is ready.
- We introduce the sifted flour in parts and knead a soft and supple dough.
- We transfer the resulting dough into a deep saucepan, cover with a lid, wrap it with a blanket or blanket and leave it to come up for a couple of hours.
After the appointed time has passed, we get our dough and divide it into two equal parts. Then we roll the bun from one half and put it in a baking dish. The second part is divided into 12 pieces, we also sculpt the balls and distribute them along the main piece. These will be small buns that are conveniently broken off and treated by guests.
We again cover the mold with a napkin and leave the dough for 25-35 minutes to increase and rise.
Cooking decoration
Ingredients:
- chicken proteins - 4 pcs.;
- vanillin - 1 sachet;
- sugar - 2 tbsp. l .;
- vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. l .;
- flour - 300 grams.
We divide the process into several stages:
- add proteins to a separate bowl, mix them with sugar, vanilla and vegetable oil;
- stir until sugar is completely dissolved and gradually add the sifted flour;
- knead a dense dough and cover it with a napkin for 15-20 minutes;
- as soon as the specified time passes, we take out the dough and form spikelets, leaves and roses from it.
Now we need to prepare products for greasing the loaf. First of all, break one egg, separate the protein and mix it with milk. For lubrication, you will need approximately 2-4 tbsp. l milk, depending on the size of the baking. Beat everything thoroughly with a whisk and proceed to the assembly of the loaf.
How to collect a loaf?
As soon as our dough has risen, take the egg mixture with milk for lubrication and distribute it over the entire surface of home baking. Then, in random order, decorate with dough decorations and send the dish to the oven.
What is a loaf and how to cook it, you already know. Now let's talk about how much it needs to be baked and at what temperature. Many hostesses advise using a preheated oven to 180-190 degrees, and the duration of baking ranges from 40 to 60 minutes. It all depends on the power of your oven, the size of the pastries and the tin you use.
After the loaf is fully cooked, cool it and remove from the mold. We shift the dish to a beautiful plate, and that's it - the fragrant and delicate homemade cakes are ready!