BRAIDED EGG BREAD (CHALLAH)

Steps:

• 1. In a large bowl, combine sugar, salt, yeast and 1 cup flour.
• 2. In a 1 quart saucepan over low heat, heat milk and butter until milk is warm and butter is melted.
• 3. If milk is too hot, bring temp down to around 120 degrees.
• 4. With mixer at low speed, beat milk mixture into dry ingredients, just until blended. Beat at medium speed two minutes more.
• 5. Reserve 1 egg yolk. Add remaining egg white and 2 eggs, and 3/4 cups flour. Beat 2 minutes. Stir in 1 1/4 cups flour to make a soft dough.
• 6. Turn dough onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic about 10 minutes working in more flour while kneading. (Work through the pain!!!)
• 7. Shape dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl, turning dough over to grease top. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. (about an hour)
• 8. Punch down dough, turn onto floured surface. Cover with bowl and let rise 15 minutes. Grease large cookie sheet.
• 9. Cut 2/3 dough into 3 equal pieces. On floured surface, with wet hands, roll each piece into a 13-inch rope. Place ropes side by side and loosely braid.
• 10. For top part of loaf, cut remaining piece of dough into 3 equal pieces and roll into a 14 inch long rope. Braid as before, but smaller than the last.
• 11. Place smaller braid on top of first one, stretching if necessary.
• 12. Seal ends and place on greased cookie sheet.
• 13. Cover with damp cloth again and let rise until doubled. (about 45 minutes)
• 14. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• 15. in a small bowl, beat egg yolk and 2 Tbsp. water. Brush the loaf with egg yolk and sprinkle generously with sesame seeds.
• 16. Bake 30 minutes or until loaf is golden.
• 17. Cool on wire rack.