This Egg Twist Bread is a beautiful and impressive loaf of bread to serve to guests. An egg wash gives the top of this soft bread a nice golden look.
For as much as we love baking bread, I had never tried a braided bread loaf. I’ve seen pictures of them on Pinterest and in cooking magazines and was always just a little bit scared off. I figured there was no way I could get a loaf of bread to look that good.
But I sooooo wanted to taste of one these loaves, so my tummy won out!
My grandma was cleaning out her old books and gave me a huge stack of old church cookbooks. I don’t know if you’ve ever looked through an old church cookbook, but they contain quite the collection of recipes. I felt like I had hit the jackpot!
This Egg Twist Bread was one of the first recipes I came across that I knew I had to try. It’s soft. It’s slightly sweet. It tastes amazing when torn into directly from the oven. Nope. We don’t have much patience around here when it comes to fresh bread!
Don’t let the fact that this is a braided loaf scare you off. You can make this. And you’ll be so glad you did.
Here are just a few hints.
1. Warm the milk in a bowl in the microwave for just about 1-1/2 minutes until it is warm. Add in the sugar and salt, then stir it. Allow it to sit until it is warm, but not too hot (if you have a thermometer, it should measure about 105-110 degrees in order to proof active dry yeast). You’re going to add the yeast right to this milk and if the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast. Our favorite yeast is Red Star Yeast. It works like a charm every time!
2. When the yeast is ready, add the butter (it should be very soft, but not melted) and the eggs. Stir this well until it is all blended.
3. Now you’re going to add the flour. Add in the flour gradually (one cup at a time), ending with the last 1/2 cup.
4. You’re going to knead this dough for about 7 minutes, adding flour as needed so the dough doesn’t stick to your hands. Be careful not to add too much flour during kneading or your bread will be dry. Your dough should feel sticky, but not stick to your hands. Although most of the time I like to use the stand mixer to knead, for some reason with this bread I knead it by hand. It’s a soft dough and very easy to knead. Feel free to use your stand mixer if you’d like. For those of you who have bread machines, I imagine that you could prepare this dough in the bread maker, too…although I do not have one so I’ve not tried!
5. Allow this dough to rise for one hour, or until it has doubled. Then you get to make your braids! Split the dough into two balls, then split each ball into three pieces. Roll those 3 pieces out into a snake about 12″ long. Braid the three ropes together and tuck/pinch the ends so that the braid does not come undone. Place each braid on a greased baking sheet.
6. Brush the tops with a beaten egg. Don’t skip this step! This is what gives the bread such a lovely golden color! Allow it to rise for another 1/2 an hour, then bake it for 20-25 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
Just try not to sneak a piece right when this soft bread comes out of the oven. You’re going to love this one, friends!
Egg Twist Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 package Red Star active dry yeast
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for kneading)
For Brushing Bread:
- 1 large egg (to brush on top of bread)
Instructions
- Warm the milk in a bowl in the microwave for just about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until it is warm. Add in the sugar and salt, then stir the mixture. Allow it to sit until it is warm, but not too hot (if you have a thermometer, it should measure about 105-110 degrees in order to proof active dry yeast). Add 1 package of yeast right to this milk. Allow the yeast to proof for about 5 minutes. It should get nice and frothy.
- Add the softened (almost meltebutter and the eggs. Stir this well until it is all blended together.
- Gradually add in the flour,1 cup at a time. Add in the last 1/2 a cup and start to knead the dough with your hands until the last 1/2 cup of flour is incorporated in. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and continue to knead the bread for about 7 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Add a bit more flour as you need to during kneading. The dough should still feel sticky, but it will not stick to your hands. During needing, I added less than 1/4 cup of additional flour. If you add too much flour, your bread will be dry.
- Place this dough in a greased bowl and cover it. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place until it has doubled, about 1 hour.
- To make the braids, split the dough into two balls, then split each ball into three pieces. Roll those 3 pieces out into a snake about 12″ long. Braid the three ropes together and tuck/pinch the ends so that the braid does not come undone. Place each braid on a greased baking sheet.
- Beat the remaining egg and brush the tops of the loaves with this. This is what gives the bread such a lovely golden color! Allow the dough to rise for another 1/2 an hour, then bake the bread dough for 20-25 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
This recipe looks great however Challah never has milk because that would make it not kosher for a Shabbat dinner with meat. Egg bread with milk should be called brioche or egg bread but not challah.
your bread looks Wonderful. Nothing is better than having fresh homemade braid along with making the house smell so nice
Your Egg Twist Bread is very much like my Cheese Braid Bread (say that real fast) that I make. I add 2 cups of shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese. Before putting in oven I brush with egg yolk / water mixture and then sprinkle with poppy seeds.
Yes, you must give it as try with the cheese. That is the only way I make this bread is adding the cheese and I have made this for several years now. Fresh shredded is much better than the prepackaged cheese. If you use the already shredded packaged cheese, be sure to have at room temperature before adding in.
Mmmmmmm I love bread 🙂 I remember making this bread in middle school and if was so good. I will be trying your recipe very soon! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I’m sure the others are right in saying a little cheese would be good, however, there is something to be said for a nice hot piece of bread smothered in butter… Oh man, I’ve gotta get busy making this bread!!
Mmmm…bread! I’m literally salivating right now! I think I’m pinning all of your bread recipes. I would die if I ever had to give up carbs. 🙂
What a beautiful loaf! Thanks for sharing it with the Let’s Get Real party.
I’m a huge fan of those old church cookbooks, too! They always have the best recipes! 🙂 This bread looks and sounds delicious! I can’t wait to try it! 🙂
I really need to start making some of my own breads – great recipe!!
Aren’t old cookbooks just the best? Can a bread be called beautiful? It sure can and this definitely is!
This bread! It looks PERFECT….I’d love to dig right in!!
Hey Lizzy , Thanks for this recipe it is the one I’ve been looking for. My mom made this bread all the time it is awesome and so versatile . She called it something else but I couldn’t remember what she called it until now after consulting my sister . It is actually a Jewish ceremonial bread called Challah. Anybody wondering about the bread machine can be sure it works great just follow the machines instructions for a 2 pound dough, it will knead and rise it the first time. take it out when it is finished and lay on… Read more »
I have been making bread for….. lets just say for the better part of the last seven centuries. Nothing beats (okay, a few other things may) the feel of kneading the dough and the satisfaction one gets from seeing such a beautiful finished product. And the taste, oh so good. It is hard having to purchase the bread you find in the stores, even in some bakeries (whether a bakery, or those found in food chains) some of the bread comes in frozen or a mix (just add water…) and they have oh so many preservatives. I call making bread,… Read more »
Just made this today. It taste so good. I’ve never braided bread and I think I need practice at it but this recipe is definitely a keeper! Thank you for sharing!
Approximately how long is each loaf? Could you do 1 large loaf or would it be too big?
I have been looking for this recipe forever. In high school I used to make this in class every Easter. The only difference is we would add a powdered sugar glaze for a sweetened dessert bread. Thanks for this, I am making it right now!