Ukrainian Butter and Egg Bread (6 Strand Braid)

[Olga Drozd]

Ukrainian Kalach / Butter and Egg Bread (6 Strand Braid)

This is my first attempt to make a braid with 6 strands.  I think it came out pretty good. This is a beautiful, easy to make -- close textured bread which slices beautifully.  It makes the best toast and is excellent for tea sandwiches.  I also used a dough enhancer -- a 1/4 tsp. of powdered ginger added to the yeast mixture. 1 Tablespoon dried yeast 1/4 cup lukewarm water 1/4 cup melted and cooled butter (or oil) 1 Tablespoon sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoons salt 1/2 cup boiling water 1/4 cup cold water 4 cups all purpose flour EGG WASH: 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp. water

Proof the yeast in the lukewarm water with 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar.  Place the butter, salt, and rest of the sugar in the mixing bowl and pour over the boiling water.  Mix well and add the cold water, the eggs, and the yeast mixture.  Stir well and add about 1/3 of the flour.  Beat very well, adding more flour gradually until mixture gets too stiff to beat and leaves the sides of the bowl.  Turn out and knead until satiny adding only enough flour to prevent sticking.  I like to throw my dough on the counter for about 20 times after kneading.

This is a lovely dough to work with, soft and supple.  Place in a greased bowl, cover and leave to rise until double.  Mine took 1 hour.  Due to the high percentage of fat in this dough it will be slow to rise so do not worry if it does not come up as soon as expected.  When it is double, (stick your finger in the dough and pull finger out--if the indentation stays it has risen enough), punch down and knead for a few turns.  At first the dough will seem very slack but a couple of minutes kneading will bring back the elasticity.  Shape into a double loaf and place in a greased loaf pan or, alternatively, divide the dough into three, four, or six portions and braid them according to the directions for braided bread given below.  Leave to rise till double. Brush the loaf with egg yolk glaze and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Preheat oven to 375 F. and  bake for 40 minutes.  Cool on rack.

TO DIVIDE DOUGH INTO SIX PORTIONS:

Divide dough into six equal portions and roll out into ropes about 18 inch long, tapered at the ends. I also sprinkled with a sieve some corn starch on the strands so that they would not stick together.

Place the ropes on a greased baking sheet and pinch together at the top.  The ropes will occupy positions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. starting from the FAR LEFT.

Move rope from position 1 to position 6 (far right)

Move rope from position 5 to position 1 (far left).

Move rope from position 6 (far right) to position 4. **

Move rope from position 2 to position 6 (far right).

Move rope from position 1 (far left) to position 3.

Move rope from position 5 to position 1 (far left). ** (Go back and do position 6 to position 4 and repeat down ) **

Repeat steps until the ropes are used up.  Do not stretch ropes while braiding but keep them together snugly.  Tuck ends in to make a neat finish. 

FOUR STRAND BRAID:

Divide the dough into four equal portions weighing to make sure.  Roll each piece out with the hands to make a rope about 18 inch long.  If big bubbles form in the ropes while rolling prick them.  If dough does not want to roll out,  hold one end down on the table and move the other end up and down to slap the rope on the surface.  This will cause it to stretch.  Taper the ends of the ropes.

Place the ropes on the greased baking sheet and pinch the top ends together.  The ropes will occupy positions 1, 2, 3, 4 starting from the LEFT.

Move the strand in position 1 (far left) to position 4 (far right).

Move the strand in position 3 to position 1 (far left). **

Move the strand in position 4 (far right) to position 3.

Move the strand in position 2 to position 4 (far right)

Move the strand in position 1 (far left) to position 2. ** Go back and do position 3 to position 1 and repeat down. **

Repeat steps until all the ropes are used up.

Canadian Bread Book