Braidedeggbread Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 2-1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a small saucepan, heat water and oil to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients along with eggs. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours., Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Set a third of the dough aside. Divide remaining dough into 3 pieces. Shape each into a 13-in. rope. Place ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. , Divide reserved dough into 3 equal pieces; shape each into a 14-in. rope. Braid ropes. Center 14-in. braid on top of the shorter braid. Pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Preheat oven to 375°. In a small bowl, beat egg and water; brush over dough. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Cover with foil during the last 15 minutes of baking. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine 5 cups flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Heat water, butter and honey to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat on medium speed. Separate one egg; refrigerate the egg white. Add egg yolk and remaining eggs to yeast mixture; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a stiff dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down and divide in half. Divide each portion into thirds; shape each into a rope about 18 in. long. Sprinkle two greased baking sheets with cornmeal; place three ropes on each baking sheet and braid. Pinch ends firmly and tuck under. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 45 minutes., Beat cold water and reserved egg white; brush over the dough. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds. Bake at 375° for 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pans to wire racks.

Steps:

• Combine potatoes and 5 cups water in large pot. Cover and boil until potatoes are very tender, about 40 minutes. Ladle 1 1/4 cups cooking liquid into small bowl and reserve; cool reserved liquid to lukewarm. Drain potatoes. Transfer potatoes to medium bowl and mash potatoes until smooth. Place mashed potatoes in strainer set over large bowl of electric mixer. Using rubber spatula, press mashed potatoes through strainer. Add 3/4 cup sugar, butter, 4 teaspoons salt and 1 1/4 cups reserved cooking liquid to mashed potatoes. Using dough hook, beat until well blended.
• Combine 1/2 cup warm water, yeast and pinch of sugar in small bowl. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add to potato mixture and beat to blend. Beat in 4 eggs. Mix in enough flour, 1 cup at a time, to form soft dough. Turn out dough onto generously floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour as necessary to form soft elastic dough, about 10 minutes. Lightly oil large bowl. Add dough, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Oil 2 large baking sheets. Sprinkle generously with the cornmeal. Turn out dough onto floured surface. Divide dough in half; knead each piece lightly. If desired, knead raisins into 1 piece of dough. Divide each dough piece into 3 equal portions. Roll out each portion between work surface and palms of hand to 15-inch-long rope. Form into braids, using 3 ropes for each braid. Tuck ends under and pinch ends together. Place 1 loaf on each baking sheet. Cover with towel and let rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush loaves with egg glaze. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or poppy seeds. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Continue baking until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on bottom, about 25 minutes longer. Transfer to racks and cool completely. (Can be made ahead. Wrap tightly in foil and freeze up to 2 weeks.)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment and sprinkle with a thin layer of cornmeal.
• On a floured work surface, roll out the 3 dough portions into 3 long ropes. Line the 3 ropes up next to each other with the top ends overlapping and the bottom ends about 3 inches apart. Pinch the top ends. Braid the ropes together; pull the left section over to the center, then hold the old center section with your left hand and pull it to the side. Finally, bring the right section over the center. Repeat the process, alternating sides, until the entire length of bread is braided. Join both ends to form a round wreath.
• Transfer the dough wreath to the parchment lined sheet pan. Dust with flour, and cover with a kitchen towel. Let proof in a warm spot for 45 minutes.
• In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, garlic, paprika, Italian seasoning, and cheese. Set aside. Beat the egg with the water in a small bowl, and set aside
• Bake the bread wreath in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Remove the bread from the oven, and brush it with the olive oil mixture. Put it back in the oven, and bake it for an additional 20 minutes. In the last 10 minutes of baking, coat the entire wreath with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt. Remove from the oven and serve hot.

Steps:

• Warm the milk and margarine until about 120F.
• Blend the liquid, 1 1/2 Cups flour, sugar, salt, yeast and eggs until moistened.
• Beat for 2 minutes. (This is easier if you have an electric mixer.).
• By hand, stir in flour until you have a stiff dough. (Don't worry if you haven't used all the flour, you will add more during the kneading process.).
• Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic. This will take about 5 minutes.
• Grease a bowl, place the dough in it and turn the greased side up.
• Cover and let rise until doubled. this will take 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Please be patient.
• Grease a cookie sheet.
• Punch down the dough and divide it into four equal parts. (Yes, four.).
• Shape each part into a strip about 20 inches long. You can roll the dough in your hands like you used to do with plasticine.
• Place the 4 strips side by side on the prepared cookie sheet. Yes, one end will extend over the ends of the sheet. Pinch the 4 strips together at one end.
• Now, braid the strips by weaving the far right strip over and under the next strips to the far left. Weave the next far right strip. Continue until you braid all the pieces.
• Then, pinch the ends together to seal.
• Cover and let the loaf rise until doubled in size. This will take up to an hour.
• You can make the loaf look really special by brushing it, before baking, with a beaten egg or egg yolk. Please take care to not let the egg drip on the cookie sheet.
• If you have sesame or poppy seeds you can sprinkle them liberally on the loaf.
• Place the loaf in an oven heated to 375°F.
• Bake about 35 minutes or until golden brown. It will sound hollow when lightly tapped.
• Slide off the cookie sheet to a rack and let it cool.

Steps:

• Thaw frozen bread until it can be cut in half (lengthwise) with a sharp knife, but has not started to rise.
• Take the halves and roll them out to about 16 inches in length and about 1 inch in diameter. The length and width are not that important, but they should all be the same length and width.
• Braid 3 of the halves together to make 2 loaves. Tuck the ends under so they will stay together and not burn.
• Place the loaves on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray and coated with corn meal. The corn meal is not necessary but addes that homemade look.
• Brush the egg wash on the bread and sprinkle with the poppy or sesame seeds.
• Let rise until double in size (Appr. 45 min.).
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Place loaves in the center of the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the bread tapped sounds hollow. Option--at the end of 15 minutes turn the bread around. This insures even browning.
• Remove the bread from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.
• Note: I make this bread at Christmas time and give them to friends along with homemade cookies and candy.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1/2 cup water in bowl of mixer. Sprinkle yeast over water and mix,let stand 10 minutes until foamy.
• Add the next 6 ingredients to mixing bowl. Mix with dough hook for 6 minutes. Dough should be a little sticky.
• Place in oiled bowl, cover and let rise in warm place until double in bulk.
• Punch down dough. Let rise again until double in bulk.
• Punch down again. Divide dough into 3 equal parts.
• Roll dough into three long strands. Braid the strands, tucking ends under. Cover with towel and let double in bulk.
• Brush with beaten egg yolk. Sprinkle with seeds. Bake at 400 F for approximately 30 minutes, until golden brown. The challah is done when it sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Stir in 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside for 1 hour. Meanwhile, steep mahlepi in 1/2 cup simmering water. Let stand for 5 minutes. Strain, and discard mahlepi. Let cool.
• Add mahlepi infusion, butter, and 5 eggs to yeast mixture; combine thoroughly. Add orange and lemon zests. Sift in remaining 8 cups flour, remaining 1 cup sugar, and salt; stir with a wooden spoon until dough forms. Knead dough in bowl until smooth, about 10 minutes. Form dough into a ball, and transfer to a lightly buttered bowl. Cover, and let rise for 2 hours.
• Punch dough down, and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into six equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a rope, about 15 inches long. Tightly braid 3 ropes together, beginning in the middle. Repeat with remaining 3 ropes. Tuck a red-dyed egg into the first and last plaits, using a small piece of coiled dough to hold each egg in place if necessary. Place each loaf on a buttered baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and set aside to rise for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush bread with egg wash, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Transfer to oven, and bake until golden, 50 to 60 minutes.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt and yeast; stir well. Combine milk and butter in a small saucepan; heat until milk is warm and butter is softened but not melted.
• Gradually add the milk and butter to the flour mixture; stirring constantly. Add two eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal size rounds; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each round into a long roll about 36 inches long and 1 1/2 inches thick. Using the two long pieces of dough, form a loosely braided ring, leaving spaces for the five colored eggs. Seal the ends of the ring together and use your fingers to slide the eggs between the braids of dough.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place loaf on a buttered baking sheet and cover loosely with a damp towel. Place loaf in a warm place and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Brush risen loaf with melted butter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.