Phyl's Zwieback Recipe

Since Phyl is our expert zwieback maker, we asked her for her method of making these. I can remember Mother baking these each Saturday and trying to keep us out of them so there would be enough to have with pluma moos during Sunday evening "faspa." After eating, we'd sit around the table and Dad would tell funny stories, raising one eyebrow during the humorous parts.

Ingredients:

• 2 c. milk
• 2/3 to 3/4 c. shortening (part butter, part oil or lard)
• 1 cake or 1 pkg. yeast
• 1/2 c. warm water
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 6 to 7 c. flour
• 2 tsp. salt

Instructions:

1. Scald milk.
2. Add shortening and let melt in the hot milk.
3. Cool mixture. (Can be warmer than lukewarm, but not hot.)
4. Dissolve yeast in warm water; add sugar and let stand until foamy.
5. Beat 2 or 3 cups of flour into cooled milk mixture.
6. Add salt and foamy yeast. Beat well.
7. Keep adding flour until the dough is slightly softer than bread dough. Knead well. (When little air pockets show up on the surface of the dough, it's kneaded enough.)
8. Let rise until more than doubled.
9. Form dough into small balls, the lower one slightly larger than the upper one; put on cookies sheets not too close together. (Making a dent in the lower one with your thumb helps keep the top one in place.)
10. Let rise until about double in size.
11. Bake in hot oven 410 F. for 20 minutes or until browned the way you like them.