Shortbread cookies
Description
The recipe won't take much time. For those who don't know: "Zhavoronki" cookies are a traditional Russian pastry baked on the day of the spring equinox to celebrate the arrival of spring and the end of winter. Larks are the first birds to return from warmer lands, heralding the beginning of warm weather. Thus, to celebrate spring's arrival, people in Russia used to bake zhavoronki. Here's the recipe for shortcrust zhavoronki: 1. First, prepare the dough. Dissolve yeast in room-temperature milk, then after a couple of minutes add flour, sugar, and melted butter. 2. Knead the dough by hand until it stops sticking to your hands. 3. Place the dough in a warm spot for a couple of hours, allowing it to rise 2–3 times in volume. 4. Roll the risen dough into a long rope and cut it into small pieces. Carefully tie each piece into a knot. 5. Shape the birds: form the ends of each knot into a head and tail. Use raisins for the eyes. Flatten the tail and make small cuts to resemble feathers. 6. Brush the zhavoronki with beaten egg, place in the oven, and bake for 15–20 minutes at 180°C (356°F). Ready! Serve with tea or coffee.