Egg Bread
| Ingredient | 2 Loaves | 2 Loaves |
|---|---|---|
| milk | 7 oz. | 200cc |
| eggs | 2 + to brush | 2 + to brush |
| butter | 6 Tbsp. | 6 Tbsp. |
| bread flour | 3 cups | 400g |
| powdered milk | 3 Tbsp. | 3 Tbsp. |
| sugar | 3 Tbsp. | 3 Tbsp. |
| salt | 1 tsp. | 1 tsp. |
| active dry yeast | 1 tsp. (slightly rounded) | 1 tsp. (slightly rounded) |
Depending on the shape and ethnic tradition, this type of rich, slightly sweet bread can be called brioche, challah, or just egg bread. This standard version is good enough to eat straight, but goes well with anything from butter to a full-on sandwich.
Using a bread machine to get things started cuts out some of the labor, but the added effort of braiding it produces loaves that look as good as they taste, and make a perfect accompaniment to any Holiday feast.
Bonus tip: You can bypass the knife entirely and tear neat segments off very easily thanks to the braided pattern. This might seem a bit atavistic, but because it preserves the grain of the braided ropes of bread instead of slicing across it, it tastes even better this way.
Directions
- Prepare the dough.
Add all the ingredients, in the order above, to your bread machine. Use the dough cycle and process according to the machine’s instructions. - Flatten dough.
When the machine has finished, turn out the dough onto a floured work surface. Lightly punch it down and massage it into a flat shape to remove gas bubbles. Fold the flattened dough in thirds to form a loose roll. - Divide and ball.
Cut the dough package in half widthwise, then form each half into a ball. Rather than rolling it into a ball, pull the outside of the dough down and stuff it into the underside, folding it in on itself, so that the top surface becomes round and taut. Cover the dough loosely with a well-wrung-out damp towel and let rest for 10-15 minutes. - Divide and braid.
Divide each ball into equal thirds and form each piece into a rope about 16" (40 cm) long. If you’re having trouble getting it to stretch out, let it rest another five minutes; if you force it to stretch when it doesn’t want to the bread won’t rise properly. Put a silicon mat or sheet of parchment paper onto a cookie sheet or other pan you intend to bake the bread on. Braid the strips into two loaves on the pan, leaving room for the bread to raise. Pinch the ends together tightly. - Let rise.
Put the pan somewhere warm and let the bread rise for about 50 minutes, until the loaves have doubled in size. Brush the loaves with scrambled egg. - Bake.
Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 18 minutes, until golden; it will cook slighty faster with parchment paper, closer to 15 minutes.
Notes
- When I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour, I add 2 Tablespoons of gluten.
- This recipe also makes for a rich, tasty everyday loaf of slicing bread, but even if you don’t go to the trouble of braiding it, baking it in the oven instead of the bread machine will significantly improve the taste.