Large, thick-crusted, golden-brown loaves with a mouth-tingling aftertaste. Best warm or toasted. Serve with a ripened wedge of Brie. –The October Country Inn, Bridgewater Corners, Vermont
Yield:
Makes 2 loavesIngredients
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/a cup warm water
2 tablespoons dry yeast
4 eggs
2 tablespoons coarsely ground pepper
7 cups flour
1 egg, beaten
Caraway seeds
Instructions
Scald the milk. Add butter, sugar, and salt and let the mixture cool. Combine water and yeast and proof for 10 minutes. When milk mixture is cool, add to yeast. Beat in 4 eggs and pepper. Beat in flour a few cups at a time. Then knead in enough of remaining flour to make dough smooth and elastic.
Divide dough into 6 pieces and roll each out on a floured surface, using your hands to form each into a long rope about 1-2 inches in diameter. Braid each loaf using 3 ropes apiece. Tuck ends under and place each loaf on a greased 15×10-inch sheet pan. Brush tops liberally with a beaten egg and sprinkle with caraway seeds. Bake 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees F or until golden brown.
