Cooking Delights: Challah bread(round with four braids)

Ingredients:
All purpose flour ( sieved )-3 cups,
Milk-3/4 cup-luke warm,
Yeast-1 pkt,
Sugar-1/4 cup,
Salt-1/4 tsp,
Egg-2-beaten,
Butter-4 tbsp-melted,
Sesame seeds to sprinkle on top of the unbaked bread.
Egg-1+ 1 tbsp of water for egg wash.

Method:
You can knead the dough with a dough hook attachment with the beater or knead the dough with hands.
I like to use my dough hook for kneading the dough as it saves time and the texture of the bread is soft.
Heat milk in microwave for 20 seconds or to luke warm.
Add yeast and 1 tbsp of sugar from 1/4 cup of sugar.

Mix with a spoon and let it rest in microwave or any warm place for 5 minutes for the yeast to foam up.

Once the yeast is activated,add 4 tbsp of melted butter and 4 beaten eggs.

Mix with a spoon.
In a bowl add the sieved flour,sugar and salt.
Mix with a whisk.

Take your mixer bowl and add the flour and the yeast mixture and with a hook attachment run the blender in high speed for 3 to 4 minutes.

( If kneading by hand ,make a well in the center of the dough and by using a fork,mix the dough in circular motion.
When loosely mixed,dump the dough on the counter and knead the dough for 10 minutes.
The dough will be smooth and springy to touch ).
Sprinkle some flour on the counter and take out the dough.

Knead the dough into a ball,with smooth side up.

Transfer the dough into a greased bowl( olive oil).
Toss the ball so that all the sides are evenly coated with oil.

Cover with a damp cloth and keep in the microwave for 1 hour for the dough to double in size.
(keep the light of the microwave on for warmth-only for winter days)
When the dough has risen and doubled in size,punch the dough to let out the air.

Dump the dough on a lightly floured counter.

Divide the dough into 4 parts with knife.

Take each dough and lightly pat and roll it into a small log.

Roll each log into a long rope with both the ends tapered.

Keep two ropes horizontal and two vertical crossing each other in the center.

Lift one right vertical rope of dough and keep on top of the first horizontal rope and then under the second horizontal rope.

Lift the left vertical rope and keep it under the horizontal rope and then on top of the other horizontal rope.

Take one end of the vertical rope and turn it side ways and place it on top of one horizontal rope.

Take the other horizontal end and place it over one vertical end and then take the other vertical end and place it over one horizontal end.

Like wise keep the ends on top of each other.

Repeat the same way in the opposite direction.

Tuck the ends under the round loaf.

Turn the loaf and pinch the ends together.

Turn it up again and then compress the loaf from all sides.

Grease a round loaf pan with butter.( I used a pie dish to make the round challah )
Transfer the loaf to the baking dish.
Brush the loaf with egg wash.

Cover the top with greased cling film or plastic.

Let the dough rise for 40 minutes or double in size.

Keep in warm place(microwave with the lights on).
Pre heat oven to 375 F or 190 C for 10 minutes.
Once the loaf has risen,brush with egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and keep on wire rack.

To check the doneness,the bottom of the bread will sound hollow if you knock it.
With a flat spatula lift the round bread from the baking dish and place it on wire rack to cool completely.
Brush the top with butter.