Braided Bread

Rachel Allen- This famous UK celebrity served as my inspiration for my bread making sessions. In one of her shows, she was explaining the physics behind bread making & there piled up in her show were students who were all beginners. This made me think - why not give it a shot.

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups of plain flour, plus extra for dusting

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. milk powder (I used Nestles Everyday)

1 ½ tbsp. superfine sugar

1 tsp. dry active yeast

¾ cup lukewarm water

2 tsp. vegetable oil plus extra for greasing

5 tbsp. of sesame seeds/ poppy seeds (optional)

For the Topping

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp. milk

1 tbsp. superfine sugar

2 tbsp. sesame seeds/ poppy seeds (optional)

First, stir in the flour and salt together in a bowl and stir in the milk powder, sugar and yeast. Make a well in the center,  pour in the water and oil and stir until the dough begins to come together.

Add the poppy seeds/ sesame seeds, if using any and knead. Turn out to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes.

Take a bowl and brush the sides with oil. Shape the dough into a ball and put it in the bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for one hour (in my case this warm place was the microwave). It should be double in volume.

Grease a baking sheet/ or cookie sheet. Turn out the dough into a floured surface. Punch down and knead it for like 2 minutes. Divide it into 3 equal parts and shape each of them in to a rope 10-12 inches/ 25-30 cm long (just eye ball it).

Place the ropes side by side and press together at one end. Braid the dough and pinch the other end together and tuck underneath.

Put the dough on to the baking sheet, cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes (I kept it in my oven).

After 30 minutes, take the sheet out and preheat your oven to 200°C/ 400° F for like 5- 10 minutes.

For the topping, beat egg yolk with the milk and sugar. Brush the egg glaze over the top and sprinkle the seeds if using any.

Bake for 30- 35 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let it cool. And that is how I ended up baking my first braided bread!!!