Ukrainian Christmas Kolach

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 2 envelopes dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 cups warm milk (about 110 degrees)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 -4 tablespoons oil or 2 -4 tablespoons melted butter
• 8 -9 cups flour
• 1 egg, beaten with
• 1 tablespoon water, for glaze
• 2 tablespoons dry poppy seeds

Recipe

• 1 dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in water and sprinkle yeast over it.
• 2 add 1 tablespoon sugar, stir, and let stand 10 minutes.
• 3 combine yeast with milk, lightly beaten eggs, salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, oil, and 3 cups sifted flour.
• 4 beat until smooth.
• 5 cover and let rise in a warm place until light and bubbly, about 1 hour.
• 6 mix in remaining flour and knead until smooth and elastic and dough leaves the side of the bowl easily.
• 7 form into a ball and place in lightly oiled bowl, turning once to oil the top.
• 8 cover with towel and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk.
• 9 punch down and allow to rise again slightly.
• 10 divide dough into 3 parts.
• 11 on a floured work surface, divide one part into thirds, rolling each into a rope 8 to 10 inches long and 1 1/2 inch thick.
• 12 braid together, starting at the middle, and turn ends under.
• 13 repeat to make other two loaves and place on buttered baking sheets.
• 14 do not crowd, since loaves will double in size.
• 15 cover with damp towel and let rise until almost double.
• 16 brush with egg glaze and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
• 17 bake in preheated oven at 375 degree f.
• 18 at least 1 hour, until golden.
• 19 test by rapping the bottom; there should be a nice hollow sound.
• 20 cool on racks.
• 21 makes 3 medium loaves.