Braided Polish Egg Bread with Glossy Crust

What you need

• 500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour
• 7 g (2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast
• 60 g (1/3 cup) sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 200 ml (3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp) whole milk, lukewarm
• 70 g (5 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature, one kept back for the glaze

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt together in a large bowl.

2. 2

   Add the milk, butter and two of the eggs. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.

3. 3

   Knead with a dough hook for 10 min, or by hand for 12-15 min, until the dough is smooth, elastic and only slightly tacky.

4. 4

   Shape the dough into a ball, put it in a clean bowl and cover. Leave in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

5. 5

   Turn the dough out and press it flat to push out the air. Divide it into 3 equal pieces, about 310 g each.

6. 6

   Roll each piece into a rope about 45 cm (18 in) long, a little thicker in the middle than at the ends.

7. 7

   Lay the 3 ropes side by side and pinch the tops together. Braid them loosely, then pinch the bottom ends and tuck both ends under the loaf.

8. 8

   Lift the braid onto a baking tray lined with parchment and cover it loosely. Let it rise until puffy, about 40 min.

9. 9

   Heat the oven to 175 °C (350 °F) while the loaf rises.

10. 10

    Beat the remaining egg and brush it all over the loaf, pushing it into the creases between the strands.

11. 11

    Bake for 30-35 min, until deep golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped underneath. If the top browns too fast, cover it loosely with foil after 20 min.

12. 12

    Cool on a rack for at least 30 min before slicing.

Imported from aniagotuje.pl. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.