Non-edible Advent Bread Dough Wreath Recipe

ADVENT BREAD DOUGH WREATH NONEDIBLE - ADVENT RECIPE

by Colleen Rooney

foodsandfestivitiesofthechristianyear.blogspot.com

YIELDS: 1 large or 6 mini-wreaths

INGREDIENTS 4 cups of all-purpose flour 1 ½ cups of warm water 1 cup of salt

EQUIPMENT Large mixing bowl Baking sheet Floured board Plastic Foil, or Wax paper Green & purple acrylic paint Clean paint brush, 4 candles (3 purple, 1 rose) or B-day candles for mini-wreaths DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine flour and salt in bowl.

2. Make a well in center of flour/salt mixture.

3. Pour 1 cup water into flour mixture and stir.

4. Add more water until flour is moist but not wet. Continue mixing. May use hands.

5. Knead dough 5 minutes on floured board until smooth.

6. Turn oven on to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

7. Take the lump of kneaded dough and roll between hands making a rope of about 18 inches in length and 3 ½ inches in width. Attach ends to one another, making a smooth seam by using a small amount of water to work dough together.

8. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. With one of your Advent candles, make four impressions 1- inch deep and about 4 inches apart. Dough may shrink during baking, so be sure your impressions a bit larger.

9. Bake for 1 hour or until hard. Let cool thoroughly before decorating.

DECORATING

1. Paint the wreath light green with acrylic paint.

2. Use liturgical symbols found in Celebrating Advent and Christmas with Children or another source, paint four different symbols for Advent beside each candle hole. You may want to use a dark green paint, or a purple paint for your symbols. Let dry.

3. Some people like to weave an artificial strand of storebought evergreen around the bread dough wreath. The wreath may be set on a table or hung by purple and rose ribbons from a fixture – a chandelier, for instance

4. Place your candles in the wreath after you have placed or hung it. A small amount of melted wax applied to the base of each hole may help the candles to remain firmly in place.

5. Change candles to white on Christmas Eve and include the Christ candle in the center of the wreath for those that are resting on a table! Ribbons may be changed to red and white. Store in a cool, dry place after the Christmas season in a gallon-size plastic bag.

For the classroom or home school groups, you may wish to make miniature Advent wreaths that each child can take home. Give each child a lump of dough the size of a woman’s fist. Roll between hands making a rope 10 inches in length. Attach the ends, use a drop of water to work seams together. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. With a small birthday candle make four impressions, 1½ inches apart. Bake for 40 – 50 minutes, until dry and hard. Paint green. You may use white birthday candles with purple and rose-colored ribbons if you are unable to find purple birthday candles. Send the wreath home in a plastic bag with Advent Ceremony instructions, candles, and ribbons. Instruct the family to tie a purple ribbon in a bow around the base of three of the candles; tie a bow using a rose ribbon around the fourth candle.

Celebrating Advent and Christmas with Children by Colleen Rooney may be found on amazon.com In softcover or kindle editions