Braided Golden Egg Loaves

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees F/43 to 46 degrees C)
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 1 ½ tablespoons active dry yeast
• 6 cups bread flour, divided, or more as needed
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4 eggs
• 3 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon salt

Step 1

Stir the water, honey, and yeast in your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Let it sit for about 10 minutes, until it gets nice and foamy. Next, add 3 cups of flour, olive oil, eggs, wheat gluten, and butter to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed for a couple of minutes until everything starts to come together. Then, sprinkle in the salt and the remaining 3 cups of flour and continue mixing on low. If the dough starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl, keep mixing for another 5 to 7 minutes. If it still feels sticky, add flour a little at a time, kneading for a couple of minutes after each addition until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the bowl.

Step 2

Grease a large bowl and transfer your dough into it. Cover with a damp towel and find a warm spot in your kitchen to let it rise until it’s doubled in size, which usually takes about an hour to an hour and a half. Once it’s risen, punch it down gently and split it into two equal pieces. Place each piece into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan or on a baking sheet, then let them rise again until doubled, about another hour.

Step 3

When you’re ready, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the loaves for 25 to 30 minutes until they turn a beautiful golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 200°F (93°C). Let them cool a bit before slicing and enjoy!