Fancy Bread

What a lovely roll! They look very pretty and they taste great.

I was a little unimpressed with the rise of the bread. It was a cold day, so this absolutely affected it.

The rise technique was different too. A double rise with only a punch dough in between. I don’t think I have seen that in a recipe before.

The dough was nice and light, so the double rise seemed to work.

The braiding method worked nicely too. Starting from the middle ensured that the middle of the roll was the thicker part.

The rolls are not round either. They are more of a rectangle in shape. I thought this gave them a unique feel.

The recipe didn’t call for it, but I did brush the rolls with melted butter before putting them in the oven. This gave the tops a nice buttery taste.

They cook up quickly, so once all the prep work is done, they take no time to cook. I think these would be a great addition to a holiday meal - you can do the prep while you are cooking everything else and just pop them in at the end.

So they taste great, and they look lovely!

BRAIDED ROLLS

1 Cake Yeast

1/2 Cup Lukewarm Water

2 Tablespoons Shortening

2 Tablespoons Sugar

2 Teaspoons Salt

1/2 Cup Scalded Milk

1 Egg

4 Cups Sifted Flour

Soften yeast in lukewarm water. Add shortening, sugar, and salt to milk. Cool. Add yeast and beaten egg. Stir in flour to make a soft dough. Turn out on a floured board and knead until smooth and satiny. About 8 to 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, cover and rise until doubled in bulk. Punch down. Let rise again until doubled in bulk. Punch down and let stand 10 minutes. Roll out 1/4 inch thick. Cut into strips 6 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Cross three strips in the middle and braid from the center to each end. Press ends together and fold under. Place on a greased baking sheet. Let rise until doubled in bulk. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes.