PROSPHORON (SACRAMENTAL BREAD)

Prosphoron is a yeast bread in a circular shape which is used in the service of the liturgy of the Orthodox Church. Prosphoron, along with wine, is a gift from the church to God. These gifts during the Liturgy are exalted to God and later as consecrated are given to people. Prosphoron is made with prayer. During the making of prosphoron, one should pray to Jesus with the prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ have mercy", because the Holy Liturgy becomes the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Prosphoron is consisted of 3 ingredients: flour with yeast representing the soul, water represents Baptism and salt represents the teaching of the Lord to His disciples: "You are the salt of the Earth."

Ingredients:

• 5 cups flour
• 2 cups of warm water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cube fresh yeast
• seal

Preparation:

1. Dissolve the yeast in ½ cup lukewarm water, same way as in preparation of plain bread.
2. Put flour in a bowl and add salt. Mix it thoroughly with flour and add the dissolved yeast. Slowly pour the remaining water, then knead the dough well until strong enough.
3. Divide dough in 10 balls (for 5 prosphorons). Take 2 balls, stretch them a bit and press with your palm, then glue both disks.
4. Put seal in flour, shake well and press it in the prosphoron. Carefully pull it out.
5. Leave to rise in a warm place until double the size of the dough.
6. Before baking, press the seal again in the bread in the same position, then bake at about 200 C degrees for about half an hour.
7. Once you're done, wash dishes you used with a sponge only for that purpose.

Note:
Yeast should be warm in all stages of preparation of prosphoron;

Before baking, put a little flour at the bottom of the baking pan ;

Before we bring prosphoron in the church, wallow in a separate clean cloth.