Yeasted Mazurka

Description
In Romanian: Mazurca dospita in apa

Ingredients

 * 13 yolks,
 * 1/2 cup warm melted butter,
 * 1/2 cup tepid milk,
 * 1 cup confectioner's sugar,
 * 1 oz/25 g yeast,
 * salt,
 * 1 teaspoon vanilla,
 * flour as needed

Directions

 * 1) Mix the yeast with 1 teaspoon sugar, pour the tepid milk and a little flour to obtain a dough starter. Let it rise a little.
 * 2) Then add yolks beaten with sugar and tepid butter, salt and vanilla.
 * 3) Knead with flour the same way as for sweet breads.
 * 4) Put this dough into a cloth or fabric sack, tie tightly (but leave room for the dough to rise) and submerge into a large pot or bucket with cold water.
 * 5) Leave it this way from morning till evening (or from the preceding evening to the next day).
 * 6) When the dough has risen enough, bring it to the surface of the water.
 * 7) Remove from the cloth, place on the pastry board and shape into little pretzels, small figure eight (8) or snails.
 * 8) Place on the baking sheet, leave 1/2 hour in a warm place, wash with egg (they may be sprinkled with ground walnuts or ground blanched almonds).
 * 9) Bake at medium heat.