Preparation:
Place the water in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the yeast, kosher salt, brown sugar, and stir to dissovle. Beat eggs and yolk together and add to the bowl, along with oil and honey. Stir together until smooth. Add 2 cups of each flour. Beat together for 10 minutes to form a batter. Replace the beater with a dough hook and knead in the remaining 1 cup of each kind of flour. Knead for 10 minutes until a smooth dough is formed. Knead in additional unbleached flour a bit at a time if dough sticks to your hands. Place the dough on coutertop in a warm place and cover with a large bowl. Allow to rise until double in bulk. Punch down and rise again. Punch down again and divide in half. Divide each half into thirds. Roll each third into a rope about 16 inches long. Press the ends of 3 ropes together, using the heel of your hand, and braid the ropes together. Repeat with remaining dough. Sprinkle a little cornmeal of 2 sheet pans and place a loaf on each Allow to rise until double. In a small glass, beat together the egg, honey and water. Brush the risen loaves with wash and sprinkle with sesame seed. Bake 350 1 hour or until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when bottoms are tapped. Carefully remove to a cooling rack. |
