Recipe: Butter Braid

This is one of those mystery recipes.  I know it was published somewhere, probably at least 30 years ago, and that I typed it out at some point before I was paying attention to citing sources.

The page the recipe is on, printed on a daisy wheel printer, is yellowed and grease-stained and I haul it out it when the weather is turning and I feel like doing something labor-intensive in the kitchen instead of vacuuming or cleaning the bathroom or stacking wood.

Butter Braid

1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup milk
5 to 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for wash

Scald the milk in a medium saucepan, then add the butter, sugar and salt.  Stir to dissolve and melt the butter; set aside and cool to lukewarm.

Meanwhile, soften the yeast in warm water in a mixing bowl.

Add 2 cups flour, the cooled milk mixture, and eggs to yeast.  Beat well, then add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.  Knead until smooth.  Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning dough once.  Cover and let rise until doubled (1 1/2 hours).

Punch down and turn out onto lightly floured surface; divide into eight parts and form each into a ball.  Cover and let rest 10 minutes.  Shape each ball into a 13 x 1" rope.  For each loaf, place four strips side by side on a parchment-lined baking sheet and braid, beginning in the middle and working toward either end.  Seal the ends of the strands and tuck under the braid.  Cover and let rise until very light and puffy, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375.  Brush braids with egg wash and bake about 30 - 35 minutes, until golden brown.  Check after 15 minutes and cover with foil if the braids are browning too quickly.  Cool on a wire rack.

Yield:  2 loaves.