Double-Braid Challah Bread With Sesame Seeds

The first time I baked this bread, the whole loaf disappeared in three hours--and only three people were in the house! It's based off a Betty Crocker recipe, with a few changes; the original recipe called for a lone egg, but I had a bunch of egg yolks after making meringue so I used those instead. You could substitute poppy seeds for the sesame seeds, or eliminate the seeds altogether, but I think they deliver a pleasant crunch.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 55 mins
• Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 3  cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄3 cup honey
• 1⁄4 cup  vegetable oil
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 1  tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1  cup  very warm water (120-130F)
• 4  egg yolks
• 1⁄3 cup milk
• 1⁄4 cup sesame seeds

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients except milk and sesame seeds in a large bowl. The dough will be quite sticky at this point.
2. Turn out onto a liberally floured board and have additional flour close at hand. Knead, adding flour as it is absorbed, until the dough is no longer sticky and is smooth and elastic, 5-10 minutes.
3. Oil a large bowl and place dough inside, turning to coat dough on all sides. Allow to rise 1-2 hours, or until at least doubled in size.
4. Divide dough into three sections. Take a third of each of the original three sections and reserve (there will be two braids; a large one for the bottom, and a smaller one for the top).
5. Grease a cookie sheet.
6. Roll and stretch the three larger sections of dough into ropes a little shorter than the sheet. Cross the tops of the ropes over one another and braid. Tuck braid ends under.
7. Repeat step 6 will smaller dough sections, except braid the ropes on top of the first, larger braid.
8. Grease double-braid liberally and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise 1-2 hours, or until at least doubled in size.
9. Preheat oven to 375°F.
10. In a small bowl, combine milk and sesame seeds. Uncover double-braid. Use a pastry brush to brush mixture, or your hands to rub mixture, over double-braid.
11. Bake bread 20-30 minutes, or until deep golden brown.