Caramel Braid Sweet Bread Recipes

BEST BASIC SWEET BREAD

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, sugar and butter. Heat until slightly warm to the touch then remove from heat and stir in the yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Mix in the eggs, oil and the yeast mixture. Mix until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and continue to knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Grease a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of oil. Place the dough into the bowl and turn once to coat. Cover and let stand in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.
• Use remaining oil to grease a cookie sheet or 9x13 inch pan. For plain rolls, punch down dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll the pieces into balls and place them into the greased pan side by side. Let dough rise for 20 to 25 minutes, or until almost double. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until rolls are golden brown.

SWEET BRAIDED BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water in a small bowl. Beat eggs and egg yolk together in a small bowl. Scoop out 2 tablespoons of beaten egg; keep refrigerated.
• Preheat the oven to 170 degrees F (75 degrees C).
• Combine sugar, margarine, and salt in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly until dissolved. Add warm and cool cream to the bowl. Stir in yeast mixture. Beat in eggs. Add flour 1 cup at a time, blending well between additions.
• Turn dough out onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Spray a clean bowl with cooking spray. Place dough inside and spray the top.
• Cover dough with a dish cloth. Turn off oven and place dough inside. Allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Remove dough from the bowl and knead for 2 to 3 minutes. Split in half; split each half into thirds. Roll each section of dough into long, 24-inch snakes. Braid 3 together, making sure to secure the ends. Repeat with the remaining 3 sections.
• Reheat the oven to 170 degrees F (75 degrees C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Transfer braids to the cookie sheet.
• Turn off oven. Let braids rise in the warm oven for 45 minutes.
• Remove braids from the oven and brush with reserved beaten egg. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake braids in the preheated oven until tops are golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.

CARAMEL BRAID (SWEET BREAD)

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water. Sprinkle in sugar and stir. Let sit for at least 10 minutes.
• Heat milk, butter, sugar, and salt in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Milk mixture should be luke warm, not hot. Let it cool down if its too hot.
• Pour 1 C of the flour into a mixing bowl. Pour the milk mixture into the flour and stir.
• Add another cup of flour and stir. Add eggs and stir, then yeast and stir.
• Gradually add the rest of the flour, kneading the dough inside the bowl. Add more flour depending on the consistency, so its not sticky and dough pulls away from the bowl.
• Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for a half hour.
• While its rising mix all the ingredients for the filling, adding the butter last.
• After the dough has risen, beat it down. Knead for a few minutes on a floured surface.
• Roll it out into a 12 x 18 rectangle.
• Cut into 3 vertical strips, 4 inches wide each. You want long strips.
• Spread filling evenly over dough with the back of a spoon. Roll each strip into a roll, overlapping the edges and pinching them shut.
• Place on a greased jelly roll pan. Gently braid, tucking the ends underneath. Try to braid quickly so the dough doesn't stretch.
• Cover with a towel and let rise for a half hour in a warm palce.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 to 30 minute Bread should be browned and sound hollow when patted. Let cool on a rack. Take it off the pan with a spatula on each side so it doesn't fall apart.
• While the bread is cooling, make the glaze. Heat butter over medium heat until lightly brown, remove from heat.
• Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla.
• Stir in milk, one tsp at a time.
• Place bread on foil or board when cool. Drizzle bread with warm glaze. Let glaze harden before wrapping foil around bread if giving as a gift.