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Braided Italian Bread

Braided Italian Bread
This Braided Italian Bread is made with a Biga starter. It’s braided and has a sesame seed encrusted outside and soft inside.
Yield 1 loaf
3

Reviews

Ingredients

Biga

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup warm water (120-130°F)
  • 1/4 teaspoon Platinum Yeast

Dough

  • 2 teaspoons Platinum Yeast (remainder of the packet)
  • 2/3 cup warm water (120-130°F)
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon table salt

Topping

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Make the Biga: Mix together the ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit overnight. It’s best to set it in the warmest area of your home. It’s not going to rise much but you should see bubbling.
  • Make the dough: Using a stand mixer with the dough hook attached, add starter and the remainder of the dough ingredients. Knead the dough until a soft, smooth dough forms. All of this can be kneaded by hand if desired.
  • Transfer dough to a large, lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 45 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and punch down the dough. Place the plastic wrap back on and let rise for another 45-60 minutes.
  • Transfer dough to a lightly greased kitchen island or counter.
  • Divide the dough into three equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a 16 inch rope.
  • Braid the ropes, tucking both ends under, and place on a greased baking sheet. Cover with more plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise for another 90 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 425°F.
  • Make the topping: Whisk the egg and water together and brush onto the braided dough. Sprinkle with sesame seeds…go heavy handed on that, you want a lot of them on there.
  • Bake the bread for 25-35 minutes. If you want a softer outside go for the shorter time. If you want a more crunchy bread go for the longer. The internal temperature should be 190°F. Remove the bread from the oven and let cool on a rack.
  • Serve with butter or whatever you like!

Notes

Recipe by Sweet Recipeas.

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Review & Comments

Cindy Loewe | Reply

5 stars
Thank you for sharing this easy to follow recipe. I’ve made this bread twice now and both times it turned out amazing. Great flavor with a crispy crust and soft inside. I baked a tiny bit longer to achieve a crispier crust.

Marana Latiak | Reply

Can you use rapid raise yeast for this recipe?

Red Star Yeast | Reply

Hi Marana – Yes, you can use instant yeast (like our Red Star Quick-Rise Yeast) in this recipe, substitute 1-for-1. Keep in mind that rise times may vary, just keep an eye on your dough.
Happy baking!

CD | Reply

5 stars
Yesterday, I made this for the second time.
Both times, it came out perfect.
Great recipe!

Xtian Netizen | Reply

5 stars
My first loaf of bread ever! Just made this with a whole wheat flour. Had to tweak the recipe to work with the courser flour but it worked great. Very simple from start to finish.

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