Zwieback

A twice-baked cookie.

makes: 4 dozen

1 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
pinch of salt
⅔ cup granulated sugar
1 (1/4 ounce) envelope active dry yeast
¼ cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
4 cups all-purpose flour
granulated sugar

Lightly grease cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. In a saucepan, bring milk just up to boiling. Remove from heat. Stir in butter, sugar and salt Stir sugar into milk mixture. Let mixture cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, combine yeast and lukewarm water; let set for 5 minutes. Combine cooled milk mixture with almond extract and egg. Add flour and yeast mixture. Knead dough in a bowl, until a smooth, soft dough forms. Add more flour if necessary. Shape dough into a 13 x 2-1/2 inch loaf and place on cookie sheet. Brush top water and sprinkle with sugar. Gently cover with a tea towels until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 325F. Bake about 18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven (leave oven on). Let loaf cool on cookie sheet 10-15 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Transfer to a cutting beard and cut, with a serrated knife, into ½" thick pieces. Place slices on cookie sheet and return to oven for 15 minutes. Turn off the oven but leave the cookies in the oven about 20 minutes.