Fluffy Artoulakia With Chocolate Chips (Greek Breakfast Recipe) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup water
1 dash cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon mahlepi
3 ounces masticha (or ouzo)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon bacon grease
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Preparation

Make kanelozoumo by bringing 1 cup of water and a dash of cinnamon to a boil. Allow to cool until it is warm, but not hot.
Place kanelozoumo, 1/2 cup flour, tsp or sugar, and yeast in a bowl and mix well. Allow yeast to proof for 5-10 minutes until frothy.
Add brown sugar, mahlepi, masticha, vanilla, bacon grease, and mix well.
Add the flour slowly and knead until you have a soft, pliable dough.
Cover dough and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size - about an hour.
Punch dough down and lightly knead. Divide into 12 pieces.
Roll one piece of dough out into about a 3\" x 12\" rectangle. lightly sprinkle with chocolate chips, and roll the bottom up to form a long tube of dough filled with chocolate chips. Roll the tube into a spiral so it looks like a snail. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, and repeat with remaining dough pieces.
Cover, and allow artoulakia to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Bake in a preheated 350*F oven for 15-20 minutes until golden.