Elizabeth Chowning's Divine Bread Recipe

1. Dissolve the yeast in the water in a large bowl or in bowl from
electric mixer or food processor.

2. Add the sugar, salt, butter, and eggs and mix thoroughly. Add
about 6 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing well.

3. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3
mins. Add just enough of the remaining flour to keep it from being
sticky. (Too much flour makes a heavy bread.)

4. Put the dough in a greased large bowl and turn it to coat well.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and leave it in a warm place and leave
it in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hrs. (If after
the rising the dough still seems too sticky to work with, chill it
thoroughly. Cold dough is always easier to manage.)

5. Punch the dough down; roll it out on a lightly floured surface to
rid it of air bubbles. Make 2 free-form loaves.

6. Place the loves on a lightly greased or non-stick baking sheet.
Cover with plastic wrap and leave in warm place until has doubled in
bulk, about 1 1/2 hrs. The dough should feel light and springy.

7. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

8. Mix the egg yolk thoroughly with the cream and brush the glaze on
the tops of the loaves. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.

9. Place the baking sheet on the middle shelf of oven and bake until
bread is golden and hollow sounding when rapped with knuckles, 45 to
50 mins.

10. Turn the loaves out onto a rack; turn them several times during
cooling process.

Variations:

DIVINE BRAIDS: Prepare the dough thru’ step 5, dividing the dough in
half. Cut each half into 3 even strips. Braid the strips into 2
loaves, pinching the ends under. Proceed with step 6.
DIVINE MINK STOLES: Make up the dough thru’ step 4. Punch the dough
down and roll it out 1/2 inch thick and 6 inches wide on a lightly
floured surface. Cut into strips 1 inch wide.

Fold each strip in the shape of a mink stole crossed over your
shoulders. Place the stoles about 3 inches apart on a lightly greased
or non-stick baking sheet.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow the rolls to rise until
light and springy, 45 mins to 1 hr. Brush them with mix of egg yolk
and cream, and sprinkle then with poppy seeds. Bake in middle of
preheated 375 F oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 mins. Serve warm or
cold.

DIVINE ROLLED KUCHEN WITH PRUNE AND WALNUT FILLING: 1 recipe
Chowning’s Divine Bread 1 cup packed ready-to-eat prunes, coarsely
chopped 1/2 cup chooped walnuts

1. Prepare Divine Bread thru’ step 4. While bread is rising, mix
together the prunes and walnuts in a small bowl and set aside.

2. Knead the dough lightly and divide it in half. Roll out each half
into a rectangle 1/2 inch thick. Cover each half with half of the
filling. Press the filling well into the dough, then roll up tightly
as you would a jelly roll. Tuck the ends under and place on lightly
greased or non-stick baking sheets.

3. Cover loaves with plastic wrap and leave them in warm spot,
draft-free, until doubled in bulk and light and springy, 1 to 1 1/2
hrs. Brush tops with mix of egg yolk and 2 Tbs cream. (No poppy
seeds, please.)

4. Preheat oven to 350 F.

5. Place sheets on middle shelf of oven and bake for 30 to 45 mins, or
until loaves are golden and hollow sounding when rapped with knuckles.

6. Remove loaves to a rack and cool completely. Slice and serve. These
loaves freeze well if allowed to cool completely first.