Egg Bread Braids Recipes

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.

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 large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast. Add warm water and oil. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Add egg; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.
• Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. (At this point, dough can be refrigerated up to 24 hours.) Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place about 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
• Grease bottom and sides of 9x5-inch or 8x4-inch loaf pan with shortening or spray with cooking spray. Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Flatten dough with hands or rolling pin into 18x9-inch rectangle. Roll up tightly, beginning at 9-inch side. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Pinch each end of roll to seal. Fold ends under loaf. Place loaf, seam side down, in pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap lightly sprayed with cooking spray and let rise in warm place about 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size.
• Move oven rack to low position so that top of pan will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 375°F. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until loaf is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pan to wire rack. Brush loaf with butter; cool.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, eggs, butter, sugar, salt and 3 cups flour; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. , Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 6 portions. Roll each portion into a 14-in. rope. For each loaf, braid 3 ropes together on a greased baking sheet; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Cover with kitchen towels; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 50 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°., Beat together egg yolk and water; brush over loaves. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

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:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Stir in the yolks, 3 eggs, oil, sugar, and salt. Add about 3-1/2 cups of flour to make a sticky dough.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead with remaining flour until smooth and elastic, about 7 minutes. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn to oil the entire surface of the dough. Cover with a damp cloth. Place in a warm place until double in size, about 1-1/2 hours.
• Punch down the dough, and divide into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 12 inches long. Braid the three strands together, and seal the ends. Place the bread on a greased cookie sheet. Beat the remaining 1 egg with a pinch of salt; brush onto bread. Let the bread rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Brush the bread with eggwash again.
• Bake for 40 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

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.