Sun Bread

You've heard of the author/illustrator Elisa Kleven, right?  Well, if you haven't, today is your lucky day!  Your picture book reading repertoire will be all the better for having heard of her.  Pick up any book by Elisa Kleven and you can't go wrong -- our particular favorites are The Puddle Pail, Hooray, a Pinata, The Lion and the Little Red Bird.  Oh, and Sun Bread.

It's been 3 weeks since the beginning of the school year and finally, last week, the "back-to-school-blues" hit my little Mr. B., and they hit him hard.  I thought to myself, "It's time for some Sun Bread..."

A baker missed the sun so much,

She took some flour from her hutch.

Some butter, sugar, eggs, and yeast;

She said, "I'll bake a sunny feast."

-- Elisa Kleven (Sun Bread)

She kneaded bread dough, rich and gold,

Glossy, springy, smooth to hold.

-- Elisa Kleven (Sun Bread)

She shaped a sun so round and grand...

It seemed the sun shone in her hands!

-- Elisa Kleven (Sun Bread)

There is a recipe at the back of the book, however, this is the one that we use:

Dissolve 1 package active dry yeast in 1/2 cup warm water and let stand 5 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup unbleached white flour (all-purpose), 2 large eggs, 2 egg yolks, 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 3 tablespoons sugar or honey, 1 tsp. salt and a pinch or two of turmeric. Mix until blended.

Stir in 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose white flour and knead for 5 minutes adding bits of flour as necessary until the dough is elastic but does not stick to your hands.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, turn dough to coat with oil, cover with a clean towel and allow to rise until double in size, approx. 1-2 hours.

Punch down, knead briefly, return dough to bowl, cover with towel and allow to rise again until nearly double in size.

Preheat oven to 375, shape dough as desired, transfer to an oiled baking-sheet, brush the top of the shaped dough with a beaten egg and allow to rise again until not quite doubled (30-45 minutes.)  Brush again with remainder of beaten egg and put into pre-heated oven.  Bake approx. 30 minutes until the crust is golden brown.  Allow bread to cool on a wire rack (or just slather with butter and gobble it up while it's still warm!)

Bread so brilliant, bright, and sunny,

Summer seemed to fill their tummies.

Bread so fluffy and so fine,

They felt themselves begin to shine...

-- Elisa Kleven (Sun Bread)

P.S.  In case you were wondering... Yes, indeed, pirate-themed-garb is, in fact, mandatory in my house when my little Mr.  pursues activities such as bread-baking (and all other activities, for that matter.)