Sesame Braided Bread

Sesame seeds are my weakness and i love to add often in my menu whenever i feel like adding them. Obviously when i get a chance to make breads with sesame seeds, i dont hesitate a second to make them immediately. I have been part of many baking events and this bread is one among a challenge i have to post  before few months. Eventhough i baked them immediately i couldnt able to post them earlier. These braided bread makes an excellent accompaniment to serve along with soups or salads or simply you can have this beauties just with butter and jam. However the mildly roasted sesame seeds added to this bread gives an excellent flavour to this beautifully braided bread like rolls.

Instead of sesame seeds, you can add mixed seeds to make this bread more healthier and interesting. If you dont want to braid this bread, just stick with the usual round rolls, however i felt that braiding gives an excellent look when compared to the usual simple round dinner rolls. You can serve this braided bread even for breakfast with your favourite spread, am sure this bread will definitely makes an excellent filling brunch as well. This cuties are going to be part of this month's blogging marathon am running since four weeks and we have just 4 more days to finish this mega marathon with baking as theme.

3cups All purpose flour
2tbsp Wheat bran
1tsp Instant yeast
2tbsp Sugar
3tbsp Olive oil
1tsp Salt
1/8cup Sesame seeds (dry roasted)
Few sesame seeds (for topping)
1tsp Mixed herbs / Italian seasoning
Milk for brushing

Take the flour, wheat bran,instant yeast, dry roasted sesame seeds, sugar, salt, mixed herbs in a bowl, add enough luke warm water, olive oil and knead everything as a soft and smooth dough.

Arrange the dough in a greased bowl and let it sit in a warm place for 2 hours.

Once the dough gets doubled the volume, punch the dough and transfer it to a floured surface, knead for few minutes.

Divide the dough into 12 medium sized balls, keep aside.

Roll each balls as ropes and line each time three of the ropes side by side, pinch the pieces together at one end and start braiding.

Transfer it to the baking sheet lined over a baking tray, let it sit again in a warm place for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Brush generously the rised braided breads with the milk ,sprinkle the sesame seeds generously.

Bake the bread for 25-30 minutes or until the crust turns golden brown.

Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 51

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