Poppy Seed Egg Braid Bread
- Minutes to Prepare:
- Minutes to Cook:
- Number of Servings: 24
Ingredients
2 envelopes active dry yeast1/2 cup very warm water (110-115 F)1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 T1 cup 1% milk plus 1/2 cup light cream, scalded1/2 cup soft butter 3 tsp. salt3 large eggs plus 1 yolk 7 - 7 1/2 cups all purpose or bread flour4 T poppy seed
Soften yeast in very hot water with 1 T sugar. Allow 10 minutes max to proof. Yeast will triple or quadruple in volume and will be very foamy.
Scald milk and cream mix, either on the range or in the microwave. Add sugar to milk mix as well as stick of butter cut in small chunks. Sugar and butter will dissolve. Add in 4 beaten eggs. Add in the proofed yeast. Set aside.
Measure out 4 cups of flour and mix in the 3 T. of salt. Stir in the liquid ingredients. Will be sticky. Continue adding the remaining flour until the dough begins to cohere. Dump out the dough onto a cutting board. Knead dough adding flour to prevent sticking as needed. This should account for the 7 -71/2 cups. Knead in total about 5 minutes until the dough is firm and slightly glossy.
Grease large mixing bowl. Place dough ball into bowl, turning to grease surface. Put bowl into microwave oven covered with damp dish towel. Run micro 10 seconds on high and then leave the dough to rise.
Check about 45 minutes later and keep checking till dough doubles in size. If dough seems slow to rise you may run the micro another 10 seconds.
Punch down dough and reshape into ball. Let rise again till doubled, another 30-45 minutes.
Punch down and remove dough from bowl. Divide in half. Then divide each half into thirds.
Flatten each section with your fingers until you get a strip about a foot long and 2-3 inches wide. Pour a teaspoon of poppy seeds down the center of each strip. Roll the strip into a tube - you may need to pinch the edges to keep the tube from opening.
Take 3 tubes and lay them side by side. Pinch together the ends and begin to braid the strips. To end the braid, pinch the bottom ends closed. Repeat with the other three dough strips.
Grease 2 loaf pans. Pick up each braid and put in loaf pan, pushing the dough into the corners to fill the pan. Brush each loaf with a little melted butter, milk or egg wash. Sprinkle each loaf with poppy seeds. Cover and let rise again on the back of the stove about 45 minutes until doubled.
Heat oven to 375 F. Place lasagne dish full of water in oven as it preheats and leave there during baking .(The moisture helps the bread to rise during baking).
Bake about 30 minutes until bread sounds hollow when tapped. (Check after 25).
Remove from oven and allow to cool about 10 minutes. Then remove loaf to cookie rack and finish cooling.
When you can't wait another minute slice a chunk and slather on some butter! Enjoy!
The actual prep and mixing time is only about 30 minutes, but you'll need about 3-4 hours to complete the whole process. Perfect project for a rainy or snowy day.
Serving Size: Makes 2 loaves, 12 slices each.
Number of Servings: 24
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user IPSWICHSUE.
Scald milk and cream mix, either on the range or in the microwave. Add sugar to milk mix as well as stick of butter cut in small chunks. Sugar and butter will dissolve. Add in 4 beaten eggs. Add in the proofed yeast. Set aside.
Measure out 4 cups of flour and mix in the 3 T. of salt. Stir in the liquid ingredients. Will be sticky. Continue adding the remaining flour until the dough begins to cohere. Dump out the dough onto a cutting board. Knead dough adding flour to prevent sticking as needed. This should account for the 7 -71/2 cups. Knead in total about 5 minutes until the dough is firm and slightly glossy.
Grease large mixing bowl. Place dough ball into bowl, turning to grease surface. Put bowl into microwave oven covered with damp dish towel. Run micro 10 seconds on high and then leave the dough to rise.
Check about 45 minutes later and keep checking till dough doubles in size. If dough seems slow to rise you may run the micro another 10 seconds.
Punch down dough and reshape into ball. Let rise again till doubled, another 30-45 minutes.
Punch down and remove dough from bowl. Divide in half. Then divide each half into thirds.
Flatten each section with your fingers until you get a strip about a foot long and 2-3 inches wide. Pour a teaspoon of poppy seeds down the center of each strip. Roll the strip into a tube - you may need to pinch the edges to keep the tube from opening.
Take 3 tubes and lay them side by side. Pinch together the ends and begin to braid the strips. To end the braid, pinch the bottom ends closed. Repeat with the other three dough strips.
Grease 2 loaf pans. Pick up each braid and put in loaf pan, pushing the dough into the corners to fill the pan. Brush each loaf with a little melted butter, milk or egg wash. Sprinkle each loaf with poppy seeds. Cover and let rise again on the back of the stove about 45 minutes until doubled.
Heat oven to 375 F. Place lasagne dish full of water in oven as it preheats and leave there during baking .(The moisture helps the bread to rise during baking).
Bake about 30 minutes until bread sounds hollow when tapped. (Check after 25).
Remove from oven and allow to cool about 10 minutes. Then remove loaf to cookie rack and finish cooling.
When you can't wait another minute slice a chunk and slather on some butter! Enjoy!
The actual prep and mixing time is only about 30 minutes, but you'll need about 3-4 hours to complete the whole process. Perfect project for a rainy or snowy day.
Serving Size: Makes 2 loaves, 12 slices each.
Number of Servings: 24
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user IPSWICHSUE.
Nutritional Info Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 219.5
- Total Fat: 6.8 g
- Cholesterol: 44.9 mg
- Sodium: 47.3 mg
- Total Carbs: 33.5 g
- Dietary Fiber: 1.3 g
- Protein: 5.8 g
Member Reviews