Nancy Jeanne's Braided Egg Bread Recipe
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Category: |
Category: |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1 POUND RECIPE 1.5 POUND RECIPE
½ cup ¾ cup Water
1 1 Large egg
2 TBSP 3 TBSP Butter, little chunks (not margarine)
1 tsp 1 ¼ tsp Salt
2 cups 3 cups White Bread flour
4 tsp 2 TBSP White sugar
1 ½ tsp 2 tsp Bread Machine Yeast
1 1 Yolk of large egg
1 TBSP 1 TBSP Water
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Directions: |
Directions:In bread machine container, layer 1st seven ingredients. Select dough / manual cycle. When cycle complete, remove dough from a machine to a lightly floured surface. (I would think you could do this by hand, never tried it, though)
If necessary, knead in enough flour to make dough easy to handle (not sticky – too much margarine or water causes this).
With buttered hands, divide dough into two sections. Divide each section into 3 sections, quickly & gently, roll each of the six balls into 10”-12” ropes, or strips of dough.
Braid three ropes of dough into one loaf. (I gently stretch out each rope on foil, then go back and braid each loaf). Braid by bringing left rope under center rope, lay it down. Bring right rope under new center rope, lay it down. Repeat to end. (I never lay ends down until braiding done -stretching it a bit while braiding for even appearance – all very quickly though).
Pinch ends to seal. (True Challah bread is two braided loaves stacked – smaller loaf on top)
(Loaf sizes are personal preference depending on how much dough you have to work with and loaf size intended. I sometimes make 4 little braided loaves instead of 2 big ones, or one true challah bread that is two loaves stacked on top of each other).
Let rise in warm, draft-free place. Instructions say to cover – I prefer uncovered in the microwave with the light on for heat. Let rise until almost doubled in size – about 45-60 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly beat egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water, brush over braids with a pastry brush. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until done, covering with foil after 15 minutes to prevent excess browning.
Remove from baking sheet, cool on wire rack. May be frozen for a month in freezer Ziploc.
Enjoy! |
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Number Of
Servings: |
Number Of
Servings:12 |
Preparation
Time: |
Preparation
Time:30 minutes, separated. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: The symbolism in this bread is what keeps drawing me to make it: Water – life giving, refreshing, baptism, cleansing. Eggs – new life, protein, fulfilling, strength of the egg holds the dough together. Butter & Sugar – flavor, goodness, abundance, sweetness, comfort, tastes of home. Flour – bread is one of the oldest known staple in all world diets. Flour is many grains of wheat – sown, watered, light absorbing, growing, maturing, dying, harvested, separated from the chaff, and crushed finely by the mill. So are we. Salt – we are the salt of the earth. Yeast – growth, transforms ingredients to a new combination together. Yeast makes it all the ingredients grow into twice more than the original. Once the dough is mixed, the parts can never can go back to the original form. Braids – three in one – The trinity – Father-son-holy spirit. The people, church, new life. Oven – baking. Heat transforms us, makes us crusty on the outside, soft on the inside, ready to be broken and shared in communion. Life giving nutrition. Bread – Jesus said, I AM the bread of life. Sustenance for our very souls. Enjoy!
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