PROSPHORA MAKING INSTRUCTIONs

Today, we were blessed to have our sister-in-Christ, Georgia, teach us how she was taught by Bishop James (of Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco) to make Holy Prosphora. She estimates she has now been making it for near 20 years! Thank you Georgia for your love and wisdom!

Georgia has carefully reviewed these instructions for accuracy and Fr. George has blessed sharing them here so that everyone has the same recipe and instructions.

These instructions are intended to be used by people with some bread baking experience or who attended the workshop with Georgia, so if you're unsure, please feel free to ask one of the lady's in the parish who attended the workshop for help!

This recipe makes about 6 loaves of prosphera that fit a 6” seal

Dough Ingredients:

18 c flour (King Arthur's All-Purpose Flour should be at least half of the total flour, but could be used for all of it)
1/2 tsp active yeast (NOT instant yeast)
3 1/2 c boiling water
1 1/2 c cold water
1/2 tsp salt

Proof yeast with 1/2 tsp sugar and 2 T flour and 1 1/4 c hot water
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Put 3 1/2 c boiling water (makes the dough less crumby) plus 7 c flour plus all the salt in the mixer and mix until it looks like this:

Then, gradually add the rest of the flour and an additional 1 1/2 c cold water and let it cool before adding the yeast. Mix again once proofed yeast is added and transfer to a silicone mat or countertop. Knead the dough briefly into uniform ball.

Cover and put in warm oven for 1 hour for first rise. 
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Remove about 1/3 of the dough and add about 1/2 c of flour per 1/3 of dough and knead dough until the flour is well incorporated and dough is smooth and uniform. 

Separate dough in to 6 sections. Separate each section in to halves for a top and a bottom.

Add more flour to the tops than the bottoms to give the tops a stiffer consistency. Knead again into balls then roll out the halves to about 3/4” thickness.

 Seal should be applied to the tops like this:

​Using the bottom of a large coffee can (with the bottom cut out) to trim the rounds like this:

​Smooth the edges and shrink the top like this:

​Place the bottom on the parchment lined baking sheet and paint warm water  on to the bottom in the name of the Trinity and stack the top on it. Gently press down on the top to insure there are no bubbles between the layers. Pierce with large needle dipped in water like this:

Cover and let assembled discs rise again for about an hour in a warm oven. 

Bake at 250 degrees for about 90 minutes or until the dough is amber in color. 

Out of the oven, turn them upside down on a white towel to cool. 

Once they are COMPLETELY cooled, store in freezer ziplock bags, removing as much air as possible, and freeze.