Vasilopita 2015 [Part One]

I'm starting the new year off doing something I've never done before....making our family's Vasilopita.  (Vasilopita is the Greek New Year's Bread.  More to come on that later.)  I'm extremely a little nervous, as I find the recipe somewhat intimidating.  (I mean, it calls for 5-6 pounds of flour! And it's only made once a year....mess this up and I've blown our one chance for the year!!)

What I'm loving most though are the incredible memories of those I held dear surfacing.  I can feel my Great Aunt's presence in the wording of the recipe and relish in knowing that I'm continuing the tradition in not only the same manner as her, but in the many generations before her as well. 

Although the process started out a little rocky.....

At this point I was running out of flour, and the mixture was
very clearly still too sticky.  Panic may have seeped in for
a moment....


....but I finally managed to wrangle all of it into the bowl for the first rising.

By this morning I was feeling a little bit better.  The dough seems to have risen beautifully....

....and rose in the pan for the second rising.

Finally, just glazed it and back into the oven to finish. 

Please keep your fingers crossed for me that it continues to turn out alright!  My family is coming this evening to celebrate the new year and I will be back tomorrow with a little Vasilopita wrap-up (and explanation, too).

Happy New Year!