Soft Braided Dinner Bread
Serves 2
30 mins prep
30 mins cook
90 mins Proofing Time
150 mins total
A beautifully braided loaf of the softest dinner bread. This bread goes great with everything!
Place 1 cup of warm whole milk into a small bowl and add 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1 packet of active dry yeast. Whisk to combine and let it sit for about 5 minutes or until the yeast blooms and the surface of the milk becomes foamy
Place 8 tablespoons of soft butter into a large bowl and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 2 eggs and the bloomed yeast and whisk everything together
Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft dough comes together and begins to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl
Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface
Knead the dough, adding a bit of flour, if necessary, until it feels soft and smooth and no longer sticks to your hands
Form the dough into a round ball and transfer it into a large greased glass bowl
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic and let it rest in a warm place for about 60 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size
Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 3 equal portions
Braid the 3 portions, tucking both ends under to form a neat loaf (further instructions above)
Whisk the remaining egg and brush over the surface of the braided loaf
Cover the loaf lightly with greased plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and set a rack in the middle of your oven
Once the dough has rested, brush any dry spots with remaining egg wash and then sprinkle finely shredded parmesan and herbs over the loaf
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until the loaf is deeply golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees
Transfer the baked bread onto a cooling rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature
