When the snow was on the ground in Nashville, Grandmother made this bread to warm her girls up when they came in from playing. She also made it to serve piping hot with her beef stew (see Grandmother’s Beef Stew). This recipe makes 2 braided loaves that can be cooked side by side on a cookie sheet. It is quite a lengthy process and Grandmother moved on with the times —the bread machine!
1 package dry yeast
¼ cup warm water
1 cup scalded milk
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup shortening
1 teaspoon salt
3 ½ cups flour
1 egg
Soften the active dry yeast in warm water (110ºF.). Combine the scalded milk, sugar, shortening, and salt; cool to lukewarm. Add about ½ of the flour and mix well. Add the softened yeast and the egg; beat well. Add remaining flour, or enough to make a moderately soft dough.
Turn out on a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (8-10 minutes). Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat surface; cover and let rest in a warm place until double in size (1 ½ to 2 hours).
Punch down shape into a ball, cover and let rest 10 minutes.
Divide dough in half and then divide each half into 3 sections. Roll each section into long pieces. Place 3 sections side by side on a greased cookie sheet and braid them together, tucking in the top and bottom. Repeat for the other three sections to create second ‘loaf.’
Cover and let rise another 1 ½ to 2 hours. Bake in a 375ºF. oven for 15-20 minutes.
Breads, 2001