Birds Larks from Lenten dough for the Annunciation

Step-by-step preparation

Cooking time: 2 hr 30 mins

1. STEP 1

   

   How to bake larks from Lenten dough? First, prepare the necessary ingredients for the dough. You can use any odorless vegetable oil. Heat the water slightly (38-40C).

2. STEP 2

   

   Sift the flour through a sieve into a wide bowl to enrich it with oxygen. Thanks to this, the dough will rise easily, and the baked goods will turn out fluffy and airy.

3. STEP 3

   

   In a small bowl, combine the yeast, 1 tsp. sugar (of the total amount) and approximately 50 ml of slightly warm water. Stir and leave for 10-12 minutes to activate the yeast. A foam “cap” should appear on the surface. This indicates good quality yeast. If the yeast does not rise or the rise is incomplete, it is better to replace it with others. Otherwise, the dough will not rise well and baking will not be successful.

4. STEP 4

   

   Dissolve salt, sugar and vanilla sugar in the remaining warm water.

5. STEP 5

   

   Add activated yeast, stir.

6. STEP 6

   

   Pour in vegetable oil, mix well.

7. STEP 7

   

   Add sifted flour. Do not add all the flour at once; you may need more or less of the specified amount. It depends on the quality and properties of the flour. Stir the mixture first with a spoon.

8. STEP 8

   

   Add the rest of the flour in small portions, while mixing the dough and controlling its consistency.

9. STEP 9

   

   The dough should be homogeneous and not sticky to your hands at all. This consistency will allow the larks to keep their shape well during baking. But at the same time, the dough should not be made very steep, otherwise the finished baked goods will be heavy. Cover the bowl with the dough with cling film and leave in a warm place to rise for 60-80 minutes.

10. STEP 10

    

    Rising time will depend on room temperature, yeast activity and dough density. My dough came up in 1 hour 20 minutes. It has more than doubled in volume.

11. STEP 11

    

    Gently knead the dough and place it on a table lightly sprinkled with flour. Divide the dough into equal parts. I got 8 pieces of approximately 60 grams each. each. Round each piece of dough into a log, cover with film or a light towel and leave to proof for 10 minutes.

12. STEP 12

    

    Roll out part of the dough into a flagellum 20-24 cm long. At the same time, make the middle of the flagellum a little thinner than the edges.

13. STEP 13

    

    Wrap the dough into a knot.

14. STEP 14

    

    Form a lark's head.

15. STEP 15

    

    Pull out the beak. Wash the raisins and dry them. Cut the raisins into small pieces for the lark's eyes. To make the eyes stick better, you can make holes with a toothpick and insert pieces of raisins. The dough will rise during proofing and baking, so don’t be afraid to press them down well.

16. STEP 16

    

    Form a ponytail. Do not make it too thin so that it does not brown too much during baking. Make cuts on the tail with a knife.

17. STEP 17

    

    Form the remaining larks in this manner. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment, leaving space between them. Cover the birds with cling film and leave to proof for 15-20 minutes. Before baking, lightly brush the larks with vegetable oil (or sweetened tea leaves).

18. STEP 18

    

    Bake the buns in an oven preheated to 180C for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Control the baking time based on the operating characteristics of your oven.

19. STEP 19

    

    Despite the fact that there are no eggs or milk in the dough, it turns out soft, tender and tasty. Bake buns in the shape of larks, and let the spring sun illuminate your home! Bon appetit!

Comments on the recipe

lenaI

15.10.2023

4.8

The buns are delicious! Thank you! Here's another recipe for successful buns. They look simple, but very tasty!

Natalia M

15.10.2023

4.5

In honor of the arrival of spring, I baked lark birds from Lenten dough for the Annunciation. This is the second time I’ve baked this recipe, so I’ve learned from my past mistakes. Firstly, the dough needs to be made to such a consistency that birds can be easily formed from it. But do not fill it with flour. Secondly, this time I inserted the raisin eyes after proofing and using a toothpick. Last time they “bulged out” so funny))). This time not a single “eye” fell out) The dough for this recipe rises super quickly. It is soft, pliable, and easy to form into larks. Thanks to the author for the detailed instructions; thanks to her, even a child could cope with the birds. Although the dough is lean, the buns turned out very airy, soft, light, and tasty. The crumb is white and fluffy. I still smeared the larks with an egg mixed with milk; we are not fasting. Last time I didn’t grease it and the buns still looked beautiful and appetizing. I really like this recipe and recommend it to everyone. You can bake buns of any shape. Many thanks to the author!

Alya Zhemchuzhinka

15.10.2023

4.5

Julia, what beautiful birds they turned out to be. How alive!

Airen

15.10.2023

4.6

Thank you! We will bake for the Spring Equinox.🌞