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Coca de San Juan literally means Cocaine of San Juan because coca in Spanish is defined as cocaine. Now, does that mean St. John, the Baptist, was a coke freak? Hardly.

Research finds as many recipes for this traditional sweet bread as there are celebrations in honor of the saint, which are quite numerous throughout the world. Held around June 24, believed to be St. John's birthday, the joyous festival was once the most popular in the Christian calendar. In the Middle Ages it was believed vegetables harvested and eaten during midsummer blessed people with good health. Midsummer was also a time of haunting, complete with hobgoblins, mischievous Puck, and men with asses heads. Do we hear Shakespeare giggling?

However, there is a St. John's Bread. It is carob made from the beans of the Ceritonia siliqua, an evergreen shrub or tree native to the Mediterranean area. Sold today as a substitute for chocolate, it is believed by many to be the "locusts" St. John ate along with honey during his time in the wilderness. Another name for carob is "locust beans".

So, naturally I thought all the recipes would contain carob as a bow to the saint and his diet. Alas, I found none, but I did modify one recipe and added carob. Here it is for better or worse. Happy birthday St. John.

INGREDIENTS:

* 4 cups Unbleached White Flour
* 1/2 cup Milk
* 2 Envelopes (1/4 oz each) Dry Yeast
* 2/3 cup Water
* 2 Eggs
* 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
* 1/8 tsp Salt
* Zest of 1 Lemon
* 3 tablespoons carob powder
* 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
* 1/4 cup Canola Oil
* 1 Egg White
* Candied Fruit Oranges, Cherries, etc.
* 3 Tbsp Pine Nuts, Optional

PREPARATION:

Prepare Baking Sheet and Yeast

Grease a cookie sheet and set aside.

Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm milk in a glass measuring cup. Melt butter.

Make Dough

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl.

Make a hole in the center of the flour. Add eggs, sugar, yeast-milk mixture, lemon zest, salt and carob to the center of the flour. Stir slightly.
Allow Dough to Rise

Add canola oil and melted butter to the bowl. Mix thoroughly. Form a ball. Cover the bowl with a towel and leave it in a warm place, out of drafts. Allow to rise until dough has doubled in size.
Roll out and Decorate Dough.

Heat oven to 350F degrees.

Turn the dough onto the greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle flour on the dough. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to the form of a long oval, about 1/2-inch thick.

Lightly beat the egg white. Brush top of coca. Decorate with the candied fruit and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Bake Coca

Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Place the baking sheet in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until coca turns a golden brown.

Learn more about this author, Frederick Fuller.
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