“Martyrs” March 9

 

On March 9,  celebrate “Mucenicii”, a day celebrated in honor of the 40 Martyrs.The 40 Martyrs were Christian soldiers under the pagan roman emperor Licinius, who were forced to worship pagan gods.All forty men refused to reject God so they were imprisoned and beaten with stones for 8 days. After this they were sentenced to a cruel death: freezing in the cold lake of Sebaste. Forced to remove their clothes and enter the frozen lake, only death was waiting for them but in that night, a miracle made all the ice melt and the water was heated. A band of angels placed crowns on the heads of these dying saints. They were still living the next day so their legs were crushed and their bodies were sent to a riverside and burned. On this day, women use to make “martyrs” in the memory of these saints.

Ingredients

4 cups all purpose flour

12 oz  milk

3-4 yolk eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons dry yeast

1pk vanilla sugar

½ lemon, grated

½ orange , grated

Before to place them in the oven:

1 egg, beaten

For syrup:

10 oz water

honey

1 pk vanilla sugar

1 rum essence

1/2 lemon, grated

Garnish

honey

walnuts, ground

Directions

Combine all ingredients into a mixer bowl, unless the milk.. Attach bowl and dough hook to a electric stand mixer. Also you can use a food processor. Turn to speed 2 and add milk, a little at a time. Knead for about 15-20 minutes, until the mixture forms a ball and is slightly sticky to the touch. Knead about 2 minutes longer, until dough is smooth and elastic.

Remove the bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place, for 1 ½ hour, until the dough doubles in size.

In this time make the syrup. In a small bowl add all ingredients for the syrup, mix and set aside.

When the dough is ready place it onto a work surface and divid it in equal sizes. Take each piece of dough in hand and roll to get a long roll and thin.

Doubt roll in half, keep a finger on the end and plait. After form a circle joining the ends.

After we got the circle, make a shape of eight martyrs.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Place them on a grease cookie sheet or use paper and brush them with the egg and bake for 20 minutes, until slightly browned. Take them out and dip  in the syrup one by one. Set aside, brush them with honey and sprinkle with walnuts.