Recipe - Egg Braid

One fourth To One half cup warm water
1 pack Active dry yeast
1 tablespoon Sugar
2 Three fourths cup Allpurpose flour
1/3 cup Instant nonfat dry milk
One fourth cup Cold butter or margarine,
cut into 4 pieces
1 teaspoon Salt
2 Eggs, beaten
1 Egg
Sesame or poppy seeds,
optional

Makes 1 loaf

Combine One fourth cup water, yeast and sugar. Stir to dissolve yeast and let
stand until bubbly, about 5 minutes.

Fit processor with steel blade. Measure flour, dry milk, butter and salt
into work bowl. Process until mixed, about 15 seconds.

Add yeast mixture to flour mixture. Process until blended, about 10
seconds.

Turn on processor and slowly drizzle the 2 beaten eggs through feed tube
and just enough remaining water so dough forms a ball that cleans the sides
of the bowl. Process until ball turns around bowl about 25 times. Turn off
processor and let dough stand 1 to 2 minutes.

Turn on processor and gradually drizzle in enough remaining water to make
dough soft, smooth and satiny but not sticky. Process until dough turns
around bowl about 15 times.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Shape into ball and place in
lightly greased bowl, turning to grease all sides. Cover with plastic wrap
and let stand in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Divide into 3 equal parts. Shape each part into a
strand about 18 inches long. Braid the strands loosely together. Tuck ends
under and pinch to seal. Fit braid into greased 8 One half x 4 One half x 2 One half inch
loaf pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand in warm place
until almost doubled, about 1 hour.

Heat oven to 375 F. Beat remaining egg with fork. Brush egg over braid.
Sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds over braid, if desired. Bake until evenly
browned, 25 ~ 30 minutes.

Remove immediately from pan. Cool on wire rack.

REFRIGERATOR EGG BRAID: Prepare dough through first rising and shape into
braid as directed for Egg Braid. Place in greased loaf pan, brush with
vegetable oil and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 to 24
hours. Uncover and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Bake as
directed for Egg Braid.

RAISIN BREAD: Prepare dough as directed for Egg Braid. Turn dough onto
lightly floured surface and knead One half cup dark raisins into the dough.
Continue as directed for Egg Braid, eliminating sesame or poppy seeds.

Food Processor Bread Book From the collection of Jim Vorheis

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini