Kitka bread ( Challah ) with 6 Braids
To get your yeast started:
3/4 cup luke warm milk heated in micro,
2 tsps instant yeast,
1 tbs sugar,
1/2 cup cake flour.
Use a whisk to smooth out the mixture with no lumps.
Set aside cover in cling wrap in your bowl for 1/2 hour.
Once the yeast has frothed add 3 tbs sugar, 4 tbs cold water, 1 egg, 2 tbsp melted butter lastly add 2 1/2 cups cake flour, 1 tsp salt.
Place in Kenwood bowl with the dough attachment and mix for 5 mins. The dough will all come together.
In a clean bowl greased with oil place your dough and allow to rise 1 hour.
Knock back and knead gently for another 2 mins.
On a floured surface divide your dough equally into 6 portions
Roll out into long ropes, equal in length, make a tripod at the top end squeeze gently together and plait each rope ..
To start left hand side, take no. 2 rope cross over the top, take no. 1 rope and place in the middle, then move to right side, take no. 2 rope cross over and take no. 1 rope to the middle continue plaiting left to right until all the dough has been plaited.
Tuck in your ropes at the end of the dough.
Set aside to rise a further 50 mins covered in a warm place.
Line baking tray with parchment paper and before baking glaze with 1 egg yolk mixed with a little milk. Sprinkling of sesame or poppy seeds optional.
Preheat oven to 180 C and bake for 25 – 30 mins
If browning too quickly add some tin foil over and continue baking.
Fan assist oven reduce temperature to 170 C
Prepared, tried and tested by Gail Haselsteiner
