Double-Braid Challah Bread With Sesame Seeds |
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Prep Time: 4 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes |
Ready In: 29 Minutes Servings: 10 |
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The first time I baked this bread, the whole loaf disappeared in three hours-and only three people were in the house! It's based off a Betty Crocker recipe, with a few changes; the original recipe called for a lone egg, but I had a bunch of egg yolks after making meringue so I used those instead. You could substitute poppy seeds for the sesame seeds, or eliminate the seeds altogether, but I think they deliver a pleasant crunch. Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour |
1/3 cup honey |
1/4 cup vegetable oil |
1 1/2 teaspoons salt |
1 tablespoon active dry yeast |
1 cup very warm water (120-130f) |
4 egg yolks |
1/3 cup milk |
1/4 cup sesame seeds |
Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients except milk and sesame seeds in a large bowl. The dough will be quite sticky at this point.
2. Turn out onto a liberally floured board and have additional flour close at hand. Knead, adding flour as it is absorbed, until the dough is no longer sticky and is smooth and elastic, 5-10 minutes.
3. Oil a large bowl and place dough inside, turning to coat dough on all sides. Allow to rise 1-2 hours, or until at least doubled in size.
4. Divide dough into three sections. Take a third of each of the original three sections and reserve (there will be two braids; a large one for the bottom, and a smaller one for the top).
5. Grease a cookie sheet.
6. Roll and stretch the three larger sections of dough into ropes a little shorter than the sheet. Cross the tops of the ropes over one another and braid. Tuck braid ends under.
7. Repeat step 6 will smaller dough sections, except braid the ropes on top of the first, larger braid.
8. Grease double-braid liberally and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise 1-2 hours, or until at least doubled in size.
9. Preheat oven to 375°F.
10. In a small bowl, combine milk and sesame seeds. Uncover double-braid. Use a pastry brush to brush mixture, or your hands to rub mixture, over double-braid.
11. Bake bread 20-30 minutes, or until deep golden brown.
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