From the blog For Love of the Table
3/4 c. (180 g.) milk
3 T. (41 g) unsalted butter, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 1/4 t. instant or active dry yeast
3 T. (38 g) sugar
3/4 t. salt
1 large egg
2 1/2 to 3 c. (285 to 340 g) all-purpose flour
Milk for brushing
1/3 c. pecan halves
Scald the milk. Place the butter in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Pour the hot milk over the butter. By the time the butter melts the temperature of the milk should be about 105° to 115° F.—if not, let it sit until it is. Add the yeast. Stir until dissolved. Whisk in the sugar, salt and egg. Add a cup of the flour and whisk until smooth. Stir in another 1 1/2 cups of flour, adding as much of the remaining half cup necessary to obtain a soft, shaggy dough. Turn out, scraping the bowl well, onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding only as much of the remaining flour as you need to manage the dough—it will remain a bit sticky, but will eventually become smooth and elastic. This will take about 7 to 10 minutes.
Place the dough in a buttered bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm spot. Let rise until doubled in bulk—about an hour to an hour and a half. Knock back the risen dough, turn out onto your work surface and divide into three equal balls. Cover with a towel and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Roll each ball into a 24-inch rope....using very small amount of flour only if necessary to keep the ropes from sticking unmanageably.
Grease the outside of a 6 oz. custard cup and invert on the center of a parchment lined baking sheet. Braid the ropes loosely and wrap around the custard cup, pinching the ends together to seal and form a continuous braid. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled—the loaf will look puffy and swollen and if you touch it gently with your fingertip, the indentation will remain—about an hour. Carefully brush the loaf with milk and tuck the pecan halves decoratively into the crevices of the braid. Bake in a 375° oven until golden brown—if you tap on the loaf it will sound hollow—20 minutes or so. Transfer to a wire rack. When the loaf is cool enough to handle, lift it off of the custard cup and serve.
(Recipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens, December 1982)
http://www.forloveofthetable.com/2016/12/family-holiday-food-traditionsand.html
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