Description
This delightful braided bread recipe yields a soft, slightly sweet loaf with a beautiful golden crust, perfect for sandwiches, toasting, or enjoying fresh with butter. The dough is enriched with butter, milk, and eggs, and optionally topped with poppy seeds for added texture and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 stick butter (approximately 4 tablespoons), melted
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk, warmed
- 1 egg, beaten (for dough and egg wash)
Dry Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons fine caster sugar
- 1 packet active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
Topping
- Poppy seeds (optional, for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Activate the Yeast: In a small bowl, combine the warm milk (around 110°F or 43°C) with the caster sugar and yeast. Stir gently and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy, indicating that the yeast is active.
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and sea salt. Add the melted butter, beaten egg, and the activated yeast mixture. Mix all the ingredients until they come together to form a dough.
- Knead the Dough: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 8-10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. You can also knead using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook on medium speed for 5-7 minutes.
- First Rise: Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Shape the Bread: Once risen, punch down the dough gently to release excess air. Divide the dough into three equal portions. Roll each portion into long strands and braid them together tightly. Transfer the braid onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Second Rise: Cover the braided dough loosely with plastic wrap or a towel and let it rise again for 30-45 minutes until puffed.
- Preheat the Oven: While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Apply Egg Wash and Add Toppings: Brush the top of the braided dough with beaten egg to give it a shiny golden crust upon baking. Sprinkle poppy seeds over the loaf if desired.
- Bake the Bread: Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Cool: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Ensure the milk is warm but not hot to avoid killing the yeast.
- Braiding the dough tightly helps maintain its shape during baking.
- You can substitute poppy seeds with sesame seeds or leave them off entirely.
- For softer crust, brush the bread with melted butter right after baking.
- This bread keeps well stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days or can be frozen for up to a month.
