Ingredients
- 1/2 c. warm water
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 3 c. bread flour
- 3tsp bakers bonus
- 2tsp ibis blue
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 large yolks, lightly beaten
- 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 6 tbsp. sugar (in its original recipe used 3tbsp only)
- 1 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 egg for egg wash
- Poppy or sesame seeds or chopped almonds (optional)
Directions
- Mix the flour with bakers bonus and ibis blue. Set a side.
- Combine yeast and water in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. Let stand until yeast is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
- Add 1/2 cup of the flour, the eggs, yolks, oil, sugar, and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir until blended.
- Gradually stir in the remaining flour.
- Knead the dough for about 8 minutes by hand or with the dough hook on low to medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic and no longer sticks to your hands or the bowl.
- Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and turn it once to coat with oil.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Punch down the dough, knead briefly, and return to the bowl. Let rise until nearly doubled.
- Divide the dough into 3 pieces. On an unfloured surface, roll into balls. Let rest, loosely covered, for 10 minutes.
- Grease and sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal (to prevent the bread from sticking).
- Divine one dough into 3pieces, the other one with 4pieces and the last one with 5 pieces. Roll each dough ball into a 7-inch long rope. Braid the dough. Pinch the ends together and tuck both ends of the braid underneath the loaf to hide the seams.
- Loosely cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Whisk together water and remaining egg for the egg wash. Brush the top of the dough with the egg wash, then sprinkle with seeds.
- Baking until the crust is golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, about 30 to 35 minutes.
