Braided White Loaf

1. Mix flour, sugar and yeast in a bowl. Add lukewarm milk, butter, honey, egg and salt and knead into a smooth dough. Put the yeast dough into bowl and cover with a moist towel. Let it rise for ca. 1-2 hours at room temperature until its volume has doubled.

2. Cut dough in half, form each half into a ca. 70 cm long strand. It is important that their surface is smooth. Place the first one diagonally on the work surface, the second one cross-wise (diagonally) on top, crossing the first one at the centre. Then begin to braid: always start with the top half. From the lower strand take the top half and place it between the two halves at the bottom. Then take the bottom half of that same strand and place it at the top. Continue in that manner. Do not think too much and always try to put the strands on top of each other rather than next to each other. Place the braided loaf on a baking tray lined with baking paper, brush it with the eggwash, let it rise for ca. another 30 minutes, brush it with eggwash once again.

3. Preheat oven to 210°C. Bake at bottom level of oven at 220°C for 35-40 minutes. Test if your loaf is ready: if you knock on the loaf and it sounds hollow, your braided loaf is ready. Remove from oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Tip: if you knead your dough by hand, use a little bit more flour.