Lazarakia Recipe

Here is the recipe I'll be using to make our Lazarakia tomorrow. One batch usually yields about a dozen or so.One recipe made 13 6-7" pieces.  This pic shows them in the different stages. Here they are baking:This one is one of the biggest ones!This is all of them, except for the one Ace ate! 

Lazarakia Recipe

 Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 tsp. yeast
• 12-14 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 tsp. salt
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups lukewarm water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. aniseed or anise extract

if available you can also add:

• 1 tsp. mahlepi
• 1/2 tsp. masticha

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of the 2 1/2 - 3 cups lukewarm water.
3. Add sugar and salt and stire well.
4. Add remaining water, oil cinnamon and 6 cups flour and stir the mixture until creamy.
5. Slowly add enough of remaining flour to make a medium dough.
6. Divide dough into however many Lazarakia you'd like and roll into logs. Cut slits for arms and legs. Cross arms across chest and pinch a head.
7. Place on slightly greased cookie sheets, cover with towel and let rise for about an hour or until almost doubled in size.
8. Bake loaves for 20-30 minutes or until hollow when tapped on bottom.

Enjoy!!I hope everyone has a blessed Saturday of Lazarus!

Most holy St. Lazarus pray unto God for us!