Ingredients
- to 5 to 8 to to machine on DOUGH cycle and when cycle is done, remove your dough and smooth it out. Allow the dough to rest for 5 to 8 minutes, covered, to make it easier to work with.
- to to on a sheet of parchment paper. I say this with all good intentions, as I forgot to do it, and it led to many troubles moving the braid later.
- 2” 1” filling you are using down the center of the rectangle. Leave about 2” on the sides and 1” on the top and bottom bare.
Preparation
Step 1
Now for the fun part, the mock braid. Begin by using your bench knife to cut the top and bottom of the rectangle, even with the edges of the filling, about 1” deep.
Next cut in from the side edges to just the edge of the filling. Remove the little piece of dough. Do this on all four corners.
From here, use the bench knife to cut 1” wide strips along the side of the rectangle. You’ll be doing this on both sides. Keep count of your strips, as you need an equal number on both sides.
There. It looks rather like a totem pole or maybe a rib cage, but that’s exactly how it should look. You’re doin’ fine.
Fold down the top strip over the filling. For every fold, keep in mind that the bread will still need to rise, so be gentle and don’t pull tightly.
Draw the first strip over the filling towards the center at an angle. It should cover the lower corner of the folded-down top strip.
Draw the first opposite strip inward, again at an angle. It should over the bottom corner of the top piece of dough, and crisscross over the first side strip There should be a small gap in the very center, exposing the filling.
Go back to the first side and draw over the second strip. It shouldn’t touch the first strip, but should cover the bottom tip of the last strip.
Now we’re getting the hang of it, and you can see the braid beginning. Keep going down the whole bread, stopping just short of the bottom.
When you get to the bottom strips and end piece, you need to treat it a bit differently.
Before you fold over the side strips, fold up the bottom edge.
Now finish folding over the side strips, covering the end piece and sealing it in place.
There, you did it! Can you believe the simple act of folding strips of dough can lead to such a stunning outcome?