Ingredients
7 to 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 instant yeast
2 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground mastic
Preparation
In a large mixer bowl combine 3 1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast. Heat milk with 1/2 cup sugar, butter and salt until warm, stirring constantly to melt the butter. Add to the dry mixture in the mixing bowl and add the eggs and the mastic. Beat in low-speed with the mixer for 1/2 minutes scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes at high-speed. With your hands stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough. Turn out on lightly floured surface and knead till smooth and be elastic for 5 – 8 minutes. Shape into a ball and place it in a greased bowl turning once to grease surface.
Cover and let it rice in warm place till double for about 1 hour. Turn out on lightly floured surface. Divide in half, cover and let rest for 10 more minutes. Roll each half into rectangle, about 15X7 inches. Brush entire surface with water.
Combine the 1/2 cup of sugar with the ground cinnamon. Spread each rectangle with half of the sugar – cinnamon mixture. Roll dough up, beginning with narrow side. Seal long edge and ends by pinching together. Place sealed side down in a 2 greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise in warm place till almost double about 35 to 45 minutes. Bake in 180 degrees Celsius or 375 F till done for 35 to 40 minutes. If it starts burning on the top too quickly cover with foil the last 15 minutes before end. Remove loafs from pans and cool on wire racks.
Good Luck!!!
Foto: Patra Zeibeki