Grandma's Zwieback, The Ultimate German Mennonite Comfort Food

My Grandpa and Grandma were two very special influences in my life.  They had what today would be considered a large family with six children.  There are many times I long to ask my Grandma how she did it all.  She passed away shortly after our second child was born but I know that she would have been overjoyed to know that the house she once lived in was again filled with the laughter and sounds of many children, her great grandchildren.   Before Grandpa passed away, we all made plans to meet up in heaven at a family picnic where he promised to have the grill ready and waiting for us to all be together again.    Just like always my Grandpa will love to hear what we have been up to and all the special details of our lives.  I can't wait to tell him...won't that  be a glorious day!
Zwieback were definitely a memory of Christmas' and special times at Grandma and Grandpa's house. The grandchildren would sit around an old spool in the laundry room and eat. I remember one Christmas in particular where my cousin Jeff kept "sneaking" into the kitchen for more and more and more zwieback. I am pretty sure that Grandma knew exactly what he was up to, she rarely missed a beat, but she pretended not to and that made it extra fun.
A while before my Grandmother went home to be with her Savior she spent a day teaching my sister and I how to bake zwieback.  Along with the zwieback, we made lots of special memories that day.  We ate lunch together and then got to work.  She shared with us that each lady at church had their own markings on the zwieback so they would know whose were whose. Hers was a three finger mark, which she strongly advised us to use.  Each time I make the zwieback I use her marks and think of her with a smile.

Grandma Wiens' Zwieback
Melt Together:
     2 C Milk Warm
     2/3C Butter
Dissolve Together:
     1 1/2 Pkg Yeast
     1/4 C Warm Water
     1 t Sugar
Combine all above ingredients and add:
     2 t Salt
     2 T Sugar
     6 C Flour
Mix and then let rise to double.  Pinch off small portions and place one ball of dough on top of the other (this is where you use three fingers) poke your fingers into the top ball of dough to get it to stick together.  Let the zwieback rise again 20-30 min and then bake at 375 degrees 18-20 minutes.

I have found that covering the zwieback with one of Grandma's hand embroidered tea towels while they rise, doubles the love and they just taste that much better.