Braided Rolls

Do you want to know what the most famous Czech white bread is? The answer is short and clear: housky, braided bread rolls! Golden crispy beauties raised light and airy yet with the substance inside.

Ingredients

• 2 and ½ cups (330 g) all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup (160 ml) water warm; or milk
• 1 and ½ tsp active dry yeast
• ¼ tsp sugar
• ⅓ cup (70 g) mayonnaise plain
• 1 tsp salt

Egg wash:

• ¼ whole egg
• 1 Tbsp water

Topping to your liking:

• 2 tsp poppy seed whole
• 2 tps caraway seeds mixed with rough salt

Instructions

1. Activate yeast: Pour lukewarm water into a cup, add some sugar, and active dry yeast. Stir, and let it stand in a warm place for about 10-15 minutes until it forms a foam on the surface.
2. Add flour, salt, mayonnaise, and yeast activated in water in a large bowl. Using a fork, coarsely mix the wet ingredients with the flour. Turn out onto a floured surface and work into a smooth dough with your hands.
3. Put the dough in a clean bowl and let it rise in a warm place for 40 minutes.
4. After 40 minutes, place the dough on a work surface and knead briefly. Divide the dough into five equal-sized pieces. Further, divide each dough into three parts and roll them into strands. The length of one strand should be about as long as your hand from the palm to the end of your middle finger.
5. Braid the three strands together. Transfer the braided bun rolls to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
6. Leave the bread rolls covered with a kitchen tea towel to rise in a warm place for another 40 minutes.
7. Prepare egg wash to brush on the rolls. Whisk a whole egg in a bowl with a fork. Add two tablespoons of water and whisk again.
8. Lightly brush the risen braided roll with egg wash. Then sprinkle the surface with a modest amount of poppy seeds or caraway seeds mixed with salt.
9. Preheat oven to 360 °F (180 °C). Move the wire rack to the center of the oven. Place a pot of boiling water in the bottom of the oven to create steam inside. Bake the braided bread rolls in a prepared oven for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown.