Recipe: Tri-Color Bread Braid

Since becoming more comfortable with making my own bread, I've started to be more adventerous in the type of bread I make. My husband loves Pumpernickel Bread, as do I, but I just wasn't sure that I was ready to tackle it. I rarely hear of people making Pumpernickel Bread, so I just assumed it was complicated.




Let me tell you now, it is not!



To get the best of the bread world, look no futher than right here. This recipe has Pumpernickel, Wheat and White bread all braided together. Thank goodness there is enough for 2 loaves, because it will go fast!



There are a lot of ingredients, and it does look slightly scary with all the steps, but all in all it isn't bad at all.

Tri Color Bread Braid

2 packages yeast (or about 4 ½ tsp)

2 1/3 cup warm water

¼ cup softened butter

2 Tbsp Honey

3 tsp salt

3 1/3 to 3 2/3 cup all purpose flour

Wheat Dough:

2 Tbsp wheat germ

2 Tbsp Molasses

1 cup plus 2 to 5 Tbsp Whole Wheat flour

Pumpernickel Dough

2 Tbsp baking cocoa

2 Tbsp molasses

1 cup plus 2 to 5 Tbsp Rye Flour

In mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in water until foamy. Add butter, honey, salt, and 2 1/3 flour. Beat for 2 minutes. Divide evenly among 3 bowls.

To first bowl add enough all purpose flour to make a stiff dough. Turn onto floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes. Put into greased bowl and cover. Let rise until double.

To the second bowl add the wheat germ and molasses and mix. Then add in the wheat flour until a dough forms. Proceed as you did with the first batch.

To third and final bowl, add the cocoa and molasses until mixed. Add in the Rye flour until dough forms and proceed as you did with the others.

Once all three have about doubled in size, punch down and divide each in half. Shape each portion into a 15 inch rope. Place a rope of each dough on a greased pan and braid just as you would hair. Seal the ends. I just tucked them up under the loaf. Repeat with remaining loaf.

Cover and let rise until doubled again. Brush with an egg white wash (1 egg white and 1 tbsp water) and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes.

If you only need one loaf right away, the second loaf freezes quite nicely. :)

This post is linked to:

• Tasty Tuesday
• Tempt My Tummy Tuesday