Sesame Braid

Here's how:

• 1

  Heat the milk to 25 °C, crumble in the yeast, and dissolve it.

• 2

  Add honey, sesame seeds, and room-temperature butter in small amounts, along with most of the flour, while kneading. Add the salt only after kneading for a while.

• 3

  Knead the dough—preferably for at least 10 minutes—until it’s smooth. Double that time if you’re kneading by hand. 

• 4

  Let it rise for 40–50 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.

• 5

  Knead the dough on a floured work surface until it is smooth; add more flour if necessary.

• 6

  Divide the dough into two parts, and then divide each part into three more parts. Roll out the parts into strands of equal length, which you will then braid. Three strands per braid.

• 7

  Let them rise for about 30 minutes on a greased baking sheet. Brush the braids with egg and decorate with sesame seeds—preferably black ones, if you have them.

• 8

  Bake the bread at 200 °C in the middle of the oven for about 28–30 minutes.