Cold, Snow, and Baking Bread

   

     It was the perfect way to spend a cold, snowy day -- baking bread. Egg Bread, to be exact.

    

            Now, all I have to do is decide how I'll use it tomorrow for breakfast.

+ EggBread
        recipe from County Home Magazine

• 4 3/4 - 5 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dried yeast
• 1 1/3 cups whole milk
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
* 1 egg yolk, beaten
• Sesame seeds

1.  In a large mixing bowl, stir together 2 cups of the flour and the yeast; set aside.  In a medium saucepan heat and stir the milk, sugar, butter, and salt, just until warm (120˚ to 130˚) and butter almost melts.  Add milk mixture to dry mixture along with eggs.  Beat with electric mixer on low to medium speed 30 seconds, scraping side of bowl constantly.  Beat on high speed for 3 minutes.  Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much remaining flour as you can (or use the stand mixer with a dough hook).
2.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (this can also be done with a stand mixer and a dough hook).  Shape dough into a ball.  Place in a buttered bowl, turning the dough to cover the surface with butter.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm place until double in size (approximately 1 hour).
3.  Punch down the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface.  Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces, cover and let rise for 10 minutes.  Roll each third of dough into a rope 18-inches long.  Place the ropes on a parchment-lined baking sheet spacing 1-inch apart.
4.  Starting in the middle, loosely braid the rope.  Press the ends together to seal;  tuck ends underneath the loaf.  Repeat these steps with the unbraided ropes.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled (about 30 minutes).  Brush braid with the beaten egg yolk (thin with a drop of milk or cream if desired).  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
5.  Bake in a 375˚F preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when you tap on top.  If the bread is browning too quickly, cover the last few minutes with foil.  After removing from the oven, transfer to a wire rack to cool.

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