lilythyme

[lilythyme]

reblogging so I remember to try making this next weekend.

Lughnasadh Recipe: Cinnamon Braid Bread [x]

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups flour

½ tsp salt

¾ cup lukewarm milk

1 tbsp sugar

15 g fresh yeast (1 envelope active dry yeast)

1/8 cup (30 g) melted butter

1 egg yolk

Filling

¼ cup (50 g) softened butter

4 or 5 tbsp sugar

3 tsp cinnamon

3 tsp grounded almonds or macadamias, optional

Directions

In a medium bowl stir yeast with sugar. Stir in the milk and then add the egg yolk and melted butter.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour and salt. Pour the milk mixture over the dry ingredients and start kneading it until it pulls away from the edges of the bowl. Give the dough the shape of a ball. Sprinkle oil onto a clean bowl, place the dough and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rest for about 1 hour at room temperature until doubled in size.

While the dough rises, whisk together the butter with sugar and cinnamon for the filling. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

On a floured surface, using a rolling pin roll the dough to a rectangle of about 18x12 inches.

Spoon the cinnamon filling over top (keep about 1 tbsp of the filling for the end), spreading evenly, leaving a clean ½-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle the nuts over the cinnamon filling.

Roll up the dough and using a sharp knife, cut the log in half length-wise stopping ½ inch from one end to keep it together.

Twist the two pieces, keeping the open layers exposed so the cut ends remain on top..Pinch the ends together and form a wreath.

Transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the wreath with the left cinnamon filling.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. For the last 10 minutes you can reduce the oven temperature to 180 C (350 F).

[lilythyme]

Two days ago a wedge tailed eagle like this gently soared in front of my car, landed on a boulder by the side of the road, and stretched out the full span of it's wings. Absolutely beautiful. I was on my way home after starting my new job and I am happy to see it as a good omen.

[lilythyme]

When it rains it pours!

[lilythyme]

Confessions of a green witch in a brand new climate zone - I killed my rosemary bush during the transplant (how is that even possible?). I'm going to pretend the universe decided I needed to cleanse our new home and thoughtfully pre-dried it for me.

[lilythyme]

I'm learning tarot! I've practiced with rune stones for ten years or so, but never tarot. I always used them as a tool to connect with my own intuition, rather than seeing it as true divination . This was my first time using this deck. I was seeking clarity regarding a new job where I'm working with people who have experienced violence and trauma. Lo and behold- the first card in my spread! I'm loving the extra nuance and complexity of tarot which means I can use it for really specific and concrete things- whereas, for me, runes worked best with broad and abstract questions.

[lilythyme]

Precious hoppy-boy! Another thing to hope for when this drought one day breaks- I do miss frogs 🐸

@frawgs

[lilythyme]

Snoozy boy.

[lilythyme]

I'm preparing raised garden beds for autumn (can't grow anything in summer here due to the heat). It's pleasant to daydream about what they might look like in a few months.

Karolina i Koty (@na_starym_polu)

[lilythyme]

This is Isadora, my Isa Brown and boss-hen. She runs the coop and only takes shit from her sister Isabella. Redeeming qualities: *eldest hen and therefore only one that is actually producing eggs *doesn't mind a cuddle if I feed her seed.