Description
Traditional egg bread for the Jewish Sabbath. You can add 1 cup raisins or golden raisins to the dough just before shaping and then make the loafs into round braids for Rosh Hashanah.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- ½ cup honey
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (Optional)
Instructions
- Pour warm water into a large bowl; sprinkle yeast over water. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam
- about 5 minutes.
- Beat in honey
- oil
- 2 eggs
- and salt. Add flour
- 1 cup at a time
- beating after each addition until dough has pulled together; turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a large
- lightly-oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume
- about 1 1/2 hours.
- Punch down dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half and knead each half for 5 minutes or so
- adding flour as needed to keep it from getting sticky. Divide each half into thirds and roll into a long snake about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Pinch the ends of the three snakes together firmly and braid from middle. Either leave as a braid or form into a round braided loaf by bringing ends together
- curving the braid into a circle
- and pinching ends together. Grease two baking trays and place the finished braid or round on each. Cover with a towel and let rise for about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Beat the remaining egg and brush a generous amount over each braid; sprinkle with poppy seeds.
- Bake in preheated oven until golden brown
- about 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least one hour before slicing.
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 3 hrs 40 mins
Servings: 30