Amish Egg Bread
12 photos of Amish Egg Bread Recipe
By
Susan Feliciano
@frenchtutor
1
This recipe is loosely based on Challah bread. I call it Amish because of the sourdough and the sorghum I use to sweeten it. We buy our sorghum from a Mennonite village, which is a branch of the Amish.
You can substitute honey for the sorghum if you like, or for a stronger flavor, use molasses.
For a good sorghum substitute, mix half molasses and half dark corn syrup.
You can substitute honey for the sorghum if you like, or for a stronger flavor, use molasses.
For a good sorghum substitute, mix half molasses and half dark corn syrup.
Rating:
★★★★★ 1 vote
Comments:
Serves:
1 braided loaf
Prep:
1 Hr 50 Min
Cook:
35 Min
Method:
Bake
Ingredients
- 1 c
- active sourdough starter, room temperature
- 1/2 c
- warm water (120°)
- 1/2 Tbsp
- raw sugar
- 1 pkg
- yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
- 1/4 c
- sorghum
- 1/2 Tbsp
- oil
- 2 large
- eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp
- salt
- 2 c
- whole wheat flour
- 1 c
- unbleached bread flour, plus more for kneading
How to Make Amish Egg Bread
- 1Make your sponge:
Stir together sourdough starter, water, sugar, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. I use the one with the KitchenAid stand mixer. Place the bowl in a little warm water, and let stand for 10 minutes. - 2Remove bowl from water. Add in the sorghum, oil, eggs, and salt. Combine well. Stir in the 2 cups of whole wheat flour, then place bowl on stand mixer with dough hook. Sprinkle on 1/3 cup of the bread flour and start the mixer. Add remaining flour a little at a time as it kneads, until dough is smooth and elastic and pulls clean away from sides of bowl. Continue to knead about 3 minutes past this point. The amount of flour required will vary depending on the consistency of your sourdough starter and the humidity in the air.
- 3When kneading is complete, cover mixing bowl with a damp towel and place bowl in about 2 inches of hot tap water in your sink. This will provide the perfect 80° rising place. Allow to rise for 1 hour.
- 4After 1 hour, punch down dough in bowl. Oil your work surface (I use my countertop) and the surface of the dough. Work with oiled hands and divide dough into 3 equal pieces. I weighed my pieces to make sure they were the same, but you can eyeball it if you like.
- 5Pull and roll each piece into a long thin rope for braiding. Keep hands and surface oiled - I use oil in a spray bottle.
- 6Pinch together the 3 pieces of dough at one end, and braid. Pinch together the other end and tuck ends under slightly.
- 7Spray a baking sheet with oil and dust with cornmeal. Place braid on cornmeal, reshaping as necessary for a nice, pretty braid.
- 8Oil the top of the braid one more time, and cover it with the damp towel. Then put it in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes. I prop mine over my sink to which I have added about 4 inches of hot water.
- 9After 15 minutes, preheat oven to 325°. After 30 minutes, make an egg wash by stirring together 1 egg and a tablespoon of milk or cream. Brush top of loaf thoroughly. Bake loaf at 325° for 30 minutes. You may want to turn the pan around halfway through if your oven cooks unevenly. Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- 10Cool loaf on a wire rack for 30 minutes before slicing.
- 11Serve with butter, or slice and use for grilled sandwiches.
