In one of the last issues of “Gourmet” Richard Bertinet shared his recipe and unusual technique of preparing this sweet dough. The dough is sweet but not too sweet which makes it also perfect for savory fillings, not just sweet jams and butter. The whole process is done by hands. And he doesn’t even knead the dough since it’s quite sticky for kneading. He lifts it and slaps it, then stretches and folds it over itself, and does it over and over again, and finally gets a wonderful dough “full of life”. The dough is well know all over France as pain viennois, not so rich alternative to brioche.

You can shape the dough any way you like. I braided it as a 4-strand challah, a really large one. There is enough dough to form two loaves of bread.

Sweet Dough Bread recipe…

I bake this bread far more often than just for St. Patrick’s Day. I altered a traditional recipe (which is indeed wonderful) by omitting the raisins, decreasing the sugar and adding the seeds. I wanted to serve it with salads and soups for lunch or supper. It is not just good; it’s healthy for you – relatively low in fat (I always use low-fat buttermilk with great result), rich in fiber and protein.

Multi-Seed Irish Soda Bread recipe…

What can be more enjoyable than freshly baked, warm from the oven bread rolls. Well, these ones even come with a twist. They filled with sweet caramelized onions scented with nutmeg. And they are absolutely spectacular, in taste and appearance!

Pull-Apart Buttermilk-Onion Rolls recipe…

In Russia savory yeasted pies are very common. But I wanted to step off the traditional preparation method and try something new. So I tweaked the dough a little and it doesn’t require a long proofing time now. The crust is soft but at the same time it’s tight and crumbly. The filling is, on the other hand, more of a North American invention. But I’m pretty sure my grandmother would approve.

Spinach, Onions, and Yams Pie recipe…