Double-braid Challah Bread With Sesame Seeds

Total Time: 4 hrs 55 mins Preparation Time: 4 hrs 30 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 cup very warm water (120-130f)
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds

Recipe

• 1 mix all ingredients except milk and sesame seeds in a large bowl. the dough will be quite sticky at this point.
• 2 turn out onto a liberally floured board and have additional flour close at hand. knead, adding flour as it is absorbed, until the dough is no longer sticky and is smooth and elastic, 5-10 minutes.
• 3 oil a large bowl and place dough inside, turning to coat dough on all sides. allow to rise 1-2 hours, or until at least doubled in size.
• 4 divide dough into three sections. take a third of each of the original three sections and reserve (there will be two braids; a large one for the bottom, and a smaller one for the top).
• 5 grease a cookie sheet.
• 6 roll and stretch the three larger sections of dough into ropes a little shorter than the sheet. cross the tops of the ropes over one another and braid. tuck braid ends under.
• 7 repeat step 6 will smaller dough sections, except braid the ropes on top of the first, larger braid.
• 8 grease double-braid liberally and cover with plastic wrap. allow to rise 1-2 hours, or until at least doubled in size.
• 9 preheat oven to 375°f.
• 10 in a small bowl, combine milk and sesame seeds. uncover double-braid. use a pastry brush to brush mixture, or your hands to rub mixture, over double-braid.
• 11 bake bread 20-30 minutes, or until deep golden brown.