Holiday Braided Bread

fill with anything-just remember how sweet the bread is! I like to use boysenberry jam. I got this from a mentor after a demo in class. The bread alone is good too, so it makes delicious rolls of any shape. Tip: braid the loaf on a piece of parchment paper and use to move the loaf onto the baking sheet. You should use parchment paper anyway, because the filling sticks like cement on the pan!

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons  yeast
• 1 1⁄2 cups  warm milk
• 2  teaspoons sugar
• 5  cups white bread flour
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon cardamom
• 1  cup  melted butter
• 2  eggs, slightly beaten
• 1  cup white bread flour

Directions

1. Mix yeast, milk, and 2 tsp sugar. Cover with a paper towel and soak 5-10 minutes.
2. Mix 5 cups flour, remaining sugar, salt, cardamom, butter, and eggs. Add yeast mixture.
3. Knead in remaining flour as needed until soft and elastic.
4. Pinch dough into two sections and shape into rolls or loaves. Let rise until double in size.
5. Bake 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. To braid: Roll loaf into a long rectangle with a rolling pin. Spread about 1/2 cup filling in a stripe from top to bottom (the long way). Using kitchen shears cut the long edges into strips, about an inch wide each with a corresponding strip on the opposite edges. Fold strips across the filling back and forth. Tuck the ends under the "braid." Let rise, bake, and serve.