Challah - My first baked bread

Recently I found william Sonama's

Essentioals of Baking in our public library.

This book gives step by step instructions for

the home bakers.Though I messed up in the braiding

the bread looks good and yummy.

Ingredients

Yeast - 5 tsp

warm water - 1 cup

sugar - 1/2 cup

eggs - 3 + 1 egg beaten for glaze

All purpose flour - 5 cups

salt - 2 tsp

butter - 1/2 cup

poppy seeds or sesame seeds - 1 tblsp

Method

• In a large bowl dissolve yeast in warm water .Wait for 5 min or until it is foamy.
• Stir in the sugar , eggs, 4 1/2 cups flour , salt and the butter until the dough comes together
• Knead well with remaining flour until the dough is smooth and elastic 5 -7 min
• Form the dough into a ball .
• Keep the dough in a oiled bowl and cover it with a wet cloth.
• Let the dough rise until it doubles abt 2 hrs.
• Now Punch down the dough .
• Cut the dough into 3 equal pieces.
• Form 3 ropes.
• Line up the 3 strands infront of you horizontally.
• Now the braid the strands like braiding the hair.
• Place the braided loaf on the prepared pan , cover with a dry kitchen towel and let rise again in a warm place for 45 - 60 min.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 F
• Brush the braid gently with the beaten egg and sprinkle with seeds.
• Bake it for 30 - 35 min.
• Cool it in a wire rack for 10 min.