Kolach

Description
The Circle of Serbian Sisters in Milwaukee reached back to a homeland in the Balkans for this egg- and butter-rich bread that is braided and then coiled on the baking sheet to rise impressively into a loaf of twined golden brown ropes.

The loaf is baked and served most often on one's patron saint day, but it is equally good anytime. "God, I could live on this bread," wrote James Orgill, who is always searching out little-known but delicious recipes and passing them along to this author. Like Mr. Orgill, I could live on this bread. Almost. Kolach is an unusually fine loaf to be made with so few ingredients. True, some are especially rich.



Ingredients

 * 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
 * 4 egg yolks
 * 4 tablespoons sugar
 * 1 teaspoon salt
 * 2 teaspoons minced lemon zest
 * 1 teaspoon lemon juice
 * 2½ cups hot milk (120°F-130°F)
 * 6½ cups bread or all-purpose flour, approximately
 * 2 packages dry yeast
 * 1 egg yolk, beaten, mixed with:
 * 1 tablespoon milk
 * ¼ cup whole nuts (your choice)

Equipment

 * 1 large baking sheet, teflon or sprinkled with cornmeal.

Directions

 * 1) In a mixing or mixer bowl cream by hand or with a mixer flat beater the butter, egg yolks, sugar, salt, lemon zest, and juice.
 * 2) Mix the milk with the butter and egg yolk mixture.
 * 3) Measure in 2 cups flour.
 * 4) Add the yeast.
 * 5) Stir to blend well.
 * 6) When the batter is smooth, add flour, ½ cup at a time, and each time stir vigorously.
 * 7) When the dough has formed a mass that can be lifted out of the bowl and placed on the floured work surface, the dough is ready to knead.
 * Or, if using a mixer, attach the dough hook.
 * 1) Add sprinkles of flour if the dough continues to be sticky during the kneading period. (10 minutes)
 * 2) Knead the dough with an aggressive push-turn-fold motion or under the dough hook for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
 * 3) At this point it should not stick to the work surface or to the sides of the mixer bowl.


 * 1) With a food processor, attach the short plastic dough blade.
 * 2) The sequence for adding ingredients varies from above.
 * 3) Place the butter, egg yolks, sugar, salt, lemon zest and juice in the work bowl and pulse several times to cream.
 * 4) Measure 3 cups flour into the bowl.
 * 5) Add the yeast.
 * 6) With the machine running, pour the milk through the feed tube.
 * 7) When the dough is a smooth batter, stop the machine and add flour, ¼ cup at a time, either through the feed tube or by removing the cover.
 * 8) If flour around the edges of the bowl is not pulled in by the blade, remove the cover and scrape the flour into the center and under the blade. (6 minutes)
 * 9) When the dough becomes a mass and rides around the work bowl on the blade, knead for 60 seconds.
 * 10) As it spins the dough will clean (somewhat) the sides of the bowl.
 * 11) When the dough is first turned from the bowl it may seem quite moist-sprinkle with flour and knead for a few moments.

First rising

 * 1) Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover tightly with a length of plastic wrap, and put aside at room temperature to double in bulk, about 1 hour.

Shaping

 * 1) When the dough has risen, turn onto a floured work surface and divide in half.
 * 2) Divide each half into 3 equal parts.
 * 3) With the palms of your hands, roll each part into a rope about 24" long.
 * 4) Braid.
 * 5) Place the braid on the baking sheet and coil it.
 * 6) Tuck the end of the braid into the coil so that it doesn't break loose as the dough rises.
 * 7) With your hands, gently push the coils into a symmetrical shape. (15 minutes)

Second rising

 * 1) Cover the 2 coils with parchment paper or a cloth and put aside at room temperature until the dough doubles in bulk, about 50 minutes.

Baking

 * 1) Preheat the oven to 350°F about 20 minutes before baking.
 * 2) Brush the loaves with the egg-milk glaze, and carefully push the nuts into a pattern over the top of the loaves.
 * 3) Place the baking sheet in the moderate oven and bake until golden, about 1 hour.
 * 4) Turn one of the loaves over.
 * 5) If it is brown, and sounds hard and hollow when tapped with a forefinger, the loaves are done.

Final step

 * 1) The first thing to do is admire the twined braids.
 * 2) Beautiful! call in the family to look at them.
 * 3) Allow the loaves to cool for 10 minutes before lifting them with a metal spatula and placing them on a metal rack to cool.
 * 4) Delicious toasted.