My son and grandson read me a story about a baker who baked a bread that lit up her kitchen.

I have made sun shaped bread before- and I wanted to make one

for Aidan to see!

So here is the recipe!

1 cup scalded milk

4 oz. margarine or butter

1 tsp saffron, crushed into powder in your mortar

1/4 cup honey

2 tsps rapid rise yeast ( or you could use regular yeast- just put it into the water

with a 1/2 tsp sugar to proof)

1 cup HOT water

5 1/2 to 6 cups bread flour

3/4 cup rye flour

1 tsp salt

Scald the milk, add the saffron and honey, and butter and stir- let the margarine melt,

and give the saffron a chance to turn the milk yellow.

Mix the flours, salt, and yeast in a large bowl, make a well in the center of the flour

mix and pour both the milk mixture and hot water into the well and stir into the flour.

The dough should be a little sticky- if it is too dry add a little more water.

You don’t need to knead this dough- just mix all the flour into the dough and

put a smear of butter in the bowl.  Flour your hand, pick up the dough and fold it

back into the bowl.  Fold several times smearing the butter around the surface of the

dough and then cover and let it sit for about 10 minutes.  Fold again, at least four times.

Cover and leave it alone for another 10-20 minutes.  Fold again- it should be rather smooth

by now, wipe a little butter across the top of the dough and cover  and leave alone for

about 90 minutes, until doubled in size.

Now shape 9 small oblong pieces and place in a circular shape.

Make a large dough ball and fit it over the ends of the pieces.

Pinch the ends of the pieces so they look like a sun’s rays.

Roll out small ropes of dough and build a face and attach with  the sharp end of a

bamboo skewer- pushing the ropes into place and securing them by going under

the surface lightly.  Brush the top with an egg wash and cover- let raise for about 45

minutes, until it is almost double- and puffy looking and then bake at 375 F until

golden brown- around 35 minutes.

You can shape this dough easily into any form you want-

I also made some star bursts, rolls and a small loaf.

And they turned out quite deliciously beautiful, as well