Yeast Men

Ingredients

• 2 cubes fresh yeast
• 300 g sugar
• 1 kg flour
• 2 tsp organic lemon zest
• 1 tsp untreated orange zest
• 50 g softened margarine
• 2 egg yolks
• 400 ml lukewarm milk
• peeled almonds (for decoration)
• raisins (for decoration)
• milk (for brushing)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Crush the yeast and stir it into a cup with 3 tbsp sugar until smooth. Mix the flour with the remaining sugar, lemon and orange zest, put in a bowl, and press a well in the center. Pour the yeast mixture in, dust with flour, cover and let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.

2. 2.

   Add the margarine and egg yolks and knead with the milk into a smooth dough. Shape into a ball, cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in volume.

3. 3.

   Preheat the oven to 160 °C fan. Line baking trays with parchment paper.

4. 4.

   Knead the dough again, divide into about 5 pieces and shape each into a man figure as desired. Place the men on the trays with space between them, press almonds and raisins in, brush with milk and let rise for another 15 minutes. Bake in the preheated oven for 25–35 minutes (depending on size and thickness). If the men sound hollow when tapped on the bottom and feel firm but not hard, they are ready.

5. 5.

   Remove from oven and cool on a rack.