Italian Sesame Bread

Italian Sesame Bread

from kingarthurbaking.com
20 min

Ingredients

  • 3 3/4 cups (450g) King Arthur Artisan Bread Flour or King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 tablespoon (7g) King Arthur Easy Roll Dough Improver , (optional, but helpful)
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons (9g) salt
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) olive oil
  • 1 to 1 1/4 cup (227g to 283g) water, lukewarm
  • 3 tablespoons (25g) toasted sesame seeds or whole flax seeds
  • 1 beaten egg white

Directions

  1. 1

    Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients — by hand, mixer, bread machine or food processor — until you've made a smooth, elastic dough.

  2. 2

    Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turn to coat, cover, and allow it to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until puffy.

  3. 3

    Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into three equal pieces; each will weigh about 9 to 9 1/4 ounces. Roll each piece into a 20"-long rope, tapering the ends slightly.

  4. 4

    Place the ropes on a lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Braid them loosely; pinch the ends together, and tuck them under.

  5. 5

    Brush the loaf with the beaten egg white, then cover the braid and let it rise for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until it's quite puffy.

  6. 6

    While the bread is rising, preheat the oven to 400°F.

  7. 7

    Immediately before you put the loaf in the oven, brush it again with the egg white and sprinkle the sesame seeds or flax seeds on.

  8. 8

    Bake the braid for 20 to 25 minutes, until it's golden brown. (Tent it lightly with aluminum foil after 15 minutes, if it appears to be browning too quickly.)

  9. 9

    Remove the braid from the oven, and cool it on a wire rack.

  10. 10

    Store, wrapped, at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.