Golden Egg Loaves (or Braids)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees F/43 to 46 degrees C)
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 6 cups bread flour, divided, or more as needed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 eggs
• 3 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon salt

Directions

Combine water, honey, and yeast in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Let sit until mixture becomes foamy, about 10 minutes.

Pour 3 cups flour, olive oil, eggs, wheat gluten, and butter into the yeast mixture; mix on speed 2 (or low speed) in the stand mixer until flour mixture is incorporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt and 3 cups flour and mix on speed 2 until flour is incorporated into the dough. If dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl, continue mixing, 5 to 7 minutes. If dough is still sticky, add 1/4 cup flour at a time and knead for 2 minutes after each addition until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl; mix for 5 to 7 minutes.

Grease a large bowl.

Transfer dough to greased bowl and cover with a damp towel. Set aside in a warm area of the kitchen until dough has doubled in size, 60 to 90 minutes.

Punch down dough and divide into 2 loaves. Place each dough half into a 9×5-inch loaf pan or on a baking sheet. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers an internal temperature of 200 degrees F (93 degrees C), 25 to 30 minutes.