Description
Virtually fail-proof recipe designed for ease of preparation and maximum flavor. NOT sweet, but may be sweetened by using 1/2 cup sugar instead of 1/4 cup.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ¼ cups warm water
- 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
- 3 eggs
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (Optional)
Instructions
- Place sugar
- oil
- and salt in either a mixing bowl for an electric mixer with a dough hook or any large bowl. Add hot water
- and stir to dissolve sugar and salt. Stir in yeast
- and let stand until mixture gets foamy. Add 3 slightly beaten eggs.
- If using an electric mixer
- add 4 1/2 cups of flour to the yeast mixture. Mix until flour is mixed in
- and dough gets stringy. This stringiness indicates that the gluten has developed. Continue to add flour until dough is all on dough hook; 1 or 2 cups is usually sufficient. Let hook continue to knead for several minutes. Dough should be smooth and elastic. To knead by hand
- stir 4 1/2 cups of flour into the yeast mixture. Turn soft dough onto lightly floured surface
- and work in 1 to 2 cups of flour. Knead until smooth and elastic
- about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Place dough into a greased bowl
- and turn several times to coat the surface. Cover bowl with a damp cloth. Let dough rise until doubled in bulk. Punch down after first rising
- and allow to rise a second time. The first rising is about 1 hour
- the second about 45 minutes. Two risings make for better bread
- but if time is a problem just do one.
- Divide dough in half
- and divide each half into three or four equal parts. Make two braids
- and place both breads on a greased baking sheet. Cover
- and allow to rise until doubled. Brush with remaining 1 egg
- beaten. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.
- Meanwhile
- preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown
- about 35 minutes. Allow loaves to cool on a wire rack.
Servings: 24