Yummy Braided White Bread

 This braided white bread is very yummy and pairs well with coffee, tea and can make killer sandwiches! Making bread is not known for its ease but this recipe was not as difficult as many others I have come across, so for my first crack at bread I decided to stay simple. Now lets get baking. :)

Note: You need a scale for this, all ingredients must be measured.
   

Ingredients:


Bread:
1 1/2 ounces (40g) of yeast (almost 6 packages)
1 1/2 (360ml) cups cold milk
12 ounces (340g) bread flour
12 ounces(340g) cake flour
1 1/2 ounces (40g) sugar
1 tablespoon (15g) salt
3 ounces (85g) unsalted butter
poppy or sesame seeds


Egg Wash:
4 eggs
1 teaspoon salt

Start by dissolving the yeast in the cold milk. Add the bread flour, cake flour, sugar and salt. Mix with a dough hook until the mixture forms a ball, mix in butter.

Knead the dough at a medium speed for about 8 - 10 minutes or until a fine gluten structure has developed, to test this take a piece of the dough and play with it,  it should stretch and be almost translucent, this means you have kneaded enough. Do not over knead bread, this will end the bread making adventure very fast, as the bread will not rise.

From here place the dough on a oiled cookie sheet, flatten the dough across the sheet. Chill for 30 min. to 1 hour.

After the dough has chilled punch down the dough and separate the dough into six 6oz pieces, Three for each loaf of bread. Roll each 6oz of dough into logs about six or seven inches long, thicker in the middle and thinner at the ends. Braid the dough and tuck the edges underneath the bread.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Brush the loaves with egg wash and leave them on the cookie sheet to rise. Just before they have double in volume brush with egg wash again and pop them in the freezer for 15- 20 minutes, this will make the braid stand out more once the loaves have baked.

Place these loaves in oven and let them bake for about 25 minutes. Once they are done place them on a cooling rack. Make sure to let them cool completely before eating.

But the best part is now you have yummy braided white bread to eat!

Be sure to check back weekly for new recipes and baked goods!

Happy Baking,
       Haley