Khaka (The Turkish name for Choereg, an Armenian Sweet Bread)

My grandmother "Granny Apelian" (talk about an Armenian last name!!)  used to make this delicious bread in the shapes of stop signs or braids.  She would heat them up until they were warm, and then melt either muenster or American cheese on top.  I always liked them plain.  These are rich, so there is no reason add additional butter.

It takes about 5+ hours from start to finish to make these delights.  I start the process after the kids are on the bus, and I finish about an hour before they get home.  They are easy to make, just very time consuming.  For this reason,  I make them about twice a year.  My kids love them, and they are easy to freeze.

** Mahlab (which is what makes the bread have it's unique flavor)  and Charnushka (small black seeds from India) can be purchased on line at www.Penzeys .com.


**Mahlab or mahlepi is an aromatic spice made from the seeds of the St Lucie Cherry (Prunus mahaleb). The cherry stones are cracked to extract the seed kernel, which is about 5 mm diameter, soft and chewy on extraction, but ground to a powder before use. The flavour is similar to a combination of bitter almond and cherry.^[1]
It has been used for centuries in the Middle East and the surrounding areas as a flavoring for baked goods. In Greek American cooking, it is the characteristic flavoring of Christmas cake and pastry recipes. Thanks to renewed interest in Mediterranean cooking it has been recently mentioned in several cookbooks.- Wikipedia



5 lbs gold medal flour minus approximately 1/2 a cup
1 lb butter
1/2 lb margarine
2 tablespoons liquid Crisco or vegetable oil
2 cups warm milk
2 tablespoons sugar
3 packages dry yeast
3/4 cup water
6 eggs
Mahlab (1/2 to full bottle strained or ground... I like ground better,  but don't add grindings to the recipe,)
Charnushka
Sesame Seeds
3 teaspoons salt

• Melt butter, margarine and oil. 
• Dissolve yeast,  and a tablespoon of sugar in luke warm water
• Beat eggs, mix butter, milk, eggs, sugar, salt and yeast
• Add mahlab liquid.  (grind it, soak it in luke warm water)  (I do not have a specific amount of water,  just eye it)
• Add flour, knead for 15 minutes.  Pour a little oil in the bottom of a bowl and turn oil side up. Cover and let rise until double.  **Make dough at 8:00, 8:30 am.  make balls, let rest until covered for 15 minutes to 1/2 hour.
• Make balls smaller then a fist and shape dough into stop signs, (pinched edges) or braids.
• Make water, sugar syrup.  When cool, beat egg into it.
• Toast sesame seeds
• Moisten tops of buns with syrup and add either Charnushka or sesame seeds on top
• Prick with fork
• Grease tray, cover, let stand, and rise for 1 1/2 hours.
• Heat oven at 350. 
• Bake bottom shelf until tops are golden brown, then place on the top shelf to finish browning. 
• Egg wash top.  (egg with 2 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon water

Do not store until completely cooled.

 I do not know how to say "good eating" in Armenian... sorry..   : )

-Queenie Cuisine