Directions

For the Dough

1. Cut butter into 1/2-inch squares and toss with 1 tablespoon All Purpose flour, set aside to soften while mixing dough.

2. Whisk remaining flour, malted milk powder, sugar, and yeast together in a bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Add water and egg and mix on medium-low speed until cohesive mass forms (about 2 minutes), scraping down bowl if needed. Cover mixing bowl with airtight wrap and let stand for 20 minutes.

3. Remove airtight wrap from mixing bowl, add salt, and mix on medium-low speed until dough is smooth and elastic (about 7-15 minutes). With mixer running, slowly add butter a few pieces at a time, and continue to knead until butter is fully incorporated and dough is smooth and elastic (3-4 minutes).

4. Transfer dough to large greased bowl and, with wet hands, fold dough over itself 8 times, rotating bowl 90 degrees after each fold. Cover with airtight wrap and transfer to middle rack of oven. Place loaf or cake pan on bottom of oven and pour 3 cups boiling water into the loaf pan in oven, close oven door, and allow dough to rise for 45 minutes.

5. Remove bowl from oven and gently press down on center of dough to deflate. Repeat folding step (#8), re-cover, and return to oven until doubled in volume (45 minutes).

6. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and divide into 2 pieces. 14. Working with 1 piece of dough, pat into rough 6 x 11-inch rectangle. With short side facing you, fold long sides in like business letter to form 3 x 11-inch rectangle. Roll dough away from you into ball. Dust ball with flour and flatten with rolling pin into 7 x 18-inch rectangle with even 1/4-inch thickness.

7. Whisk filling ingredients together until well combined; set aside. Using a spray bottle filled with clean water, spray dough lightly with water. Sprinkle half of filling mixture evenly over dough, leaving 1/4-inch border on sides and 3/4-inch border on top and bottom; spray filling lightly with water.

8. With short side facing you, roll dough away from you into a firm cylinder. Turn loaf seam side up and pinch closed; pinch ends closed. Dust loaf lightly on all sides with flour and let rest for 10 minutes. Repeat steps 14-16 with second ball of dough and remaining filling.

9. Working with 1 loaf at a time, use dough scraper to cut loaf in half lengthwise, turn halves so cut sides are facing up. Gently stretch each half into 14-inch length. Line up pieces of dough and pinch 1 ends of strips together. Take piece on left and lay over piece on right. Repeat, keeping cut side up, until pieces of dough are tightly twisted. Pinch ends together. (See picture to the left how to weave.) Transfer loaf, cut side up, to prepared loaf pan. Repeat for second loaf.

10. Cover loaves loosely with airtight wrap, return to oven, and allow to rise for 45 minutes.

11. Remove loaves and water pan from oven; heat oven to 350 F. Allow loaves to rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size, about 45 minutes longer (top of loves should rise about 1 inch over lip of pan).

12. Brush loaves with egg wash. Bake until crust is well browned, about 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 F, tent loaves with aluminum foil, and continue to bake until internal temperature registers 200 F (15-20 minutes longer).

13. Transfer pans to wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove loaves from pans, return to rack, and cool to room temperature before slicing (2 hours).

Makes 2 loaves. One for you, one to share!