Braided Bread (chlieb Vrkoc)

Total Time: 4 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• 1 cup scalded milk
• 1/4 ounce active dry yeast (never use fast rising)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 5 ounces evaporated milk
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 6 cups flour
• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 3/4 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Recipe

• 1 dissolve yeast and sugar in lukewarm milk.
• 2 combine evaporated milk, water, and butter.
• 3 sift flour into a deep bowl.
• 4 add yeast mixture to flour, then add evaporated milk mixture.
• 5 finally add beaten egg yolks and salt.
• 6 knead very well.
• 7 cover and set in a warm, draft-free place for 2 hours.
• 8 divide into two balls.
• 9 roll one out on a floured board into a rectangle and divide into three parts, then do the same with the other ball.
• 10 let sit, covered, for 15 minutes.
• 11 braid three parts into a loaf (center goes over outer part, alternating). do the same with the other loaf.
• 12 allow to rise 1 hour in a warm place.
• 13 brush both loaves with melted butter.
• 14 bake for 10 minutes at 350, then for 1 hour at 375 (internal temp should read 190).