Braided Bread (Challah)(Makes Two Loaves) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 pkg. active dry yeast
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 c. very warm water
5 c. unbleached white flour
2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
2 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. poppy seed

Preparation

In large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in water.
Stir in one cup flour, salt, two eggs and oil.
Add remaining flour gradually, stirring until combined.
Turn out onto a lightly floured board. Knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic (adding small amounts of flour as needed).
(Pretend you are making pottery.) Put dough in a large oil-coated bowl, turning over once to coat whole ball.
Cover bowl with large dish cloth and let rise in warm place for one hour.
Punch down dough, turn over in bowl, re-cover with cloth and let rise another 45 minutes.
Punch down again, place dough on lightly floured board and cut in two.