Sweet Braided Bread

1 . Stage

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a small bowl. Beat eggs and egg yolk together in a small bowl. Scoop out 2 tablespoons of beaten egg; keep refrigerated.

2 . Stage

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees F (75 degrees C).

3 . Stage

Combine sugar, margarine, and salt in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly until dissolved. Add warm and cool cream to the bowl. Stir in yeast mixture. Beat in eggs. Add flour 1 cup at a time, blending well between additions.

4 . Stage

Turn dough out onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Spray a clean bowl with cooking spray. Place dough inside and spray the top.

5 . Stage

Cover dough with a dish cloth. Turn off oven and place dough inside. Allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

6 . Stage

Remove dough from the bowl and knead for 2 to 3 minutes. Split in half; split each half into thirds. Roll each section of dough into long, 24-inch snakes. Braid 3 together, making sure to secure the ends. Repeat with the remaining 3 sections.

7 . Stage

Reheat the oven to 170 degrees F (75 degrees C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Transfer braids to the cookie sheet.

8 . Stage

Turn off oven. Let braids rise in the warm oven for 45 minutes.

9 . Stage

Remove braids from the oven and brush with reserved beaten egg. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

10 . Stage

Bake braids in the preheated oven until tops are golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.