Tricolour Braid

This would have been more impressive in the hands of someone that can actually braid. As always, they split in the oven, but I still ended up with two unusual breads. The recipe comes from Sunset Breads, Step by Step Techniques, 1984

You Will Need:

4 1/2 teaspoons granulated dry yeast
2 1/3 cups warm water
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, softened
About 5 cups AP flour
4 tablespoons dark molasses, divided
2 tablespoons wheat germ (I omitted this)
1 1/3 cups wheat flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 1/3 cups rye flour
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water for wash

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a mixing bowl. Stir in honey, salt, butter and 2 1/3 cups of AP flour. Beat on high speed with a mixer for 4 minutes. Divide batter into thirds (about 1 1/4 cups each) and put into three bowls.

For whole wheat:

To the batter, add 2 tablespoons molasses, wheat germ and wheat flour. Knead until smooth. Clean and butter bowl. Return to bowl, cover and let rise until doubled).

For the pumpernickel:

To batter add remaining 2 tablespoons molasses, cocoa, caraway seeds and rye flour. Knead, return to buttered bowl, cover and let rise.

For the white:

Stir in remaining 1 1/3 cups AP flour. Knead until smooth. Place in buttered bowl, cover and let rise until doubled.

When doughs have doubled in bulk (about 1 hour) punch down and divide each ball in half. Roll out into 15 inch long ropes and braid. Place on a buttered baking sheet and let rise until doubled.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Before baking, brush loaves with egg wash. Bake about 35 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when rapped. Cool on racks. Makes 2 loaves.