Vanilla Sugar Sweet Bread

“Mama makes hot buns!” is what Eric announced the other night – referring, I’m assuming, to all the yummy, fresh, hot bread I’ve been baking lately. I’ve rediscovered my love for the bread machine an old neighbor gave me because she’d rather not be hassled with storing it. I, on the other hand, will gladly accept a free bread machine and store the monstrous appliance because it makes baking bread oh so easy! I have tried at least 5 different non-bread machine recipes in it, just following the directions of what order the ingredients should be placed in the machine, run it on the dough cycle, bake it in the oven, and enjoy the deliciousness of the creations.

Vanilla Sugar Sweet Bread

• 1 c milk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 c butter
• 1/3 c sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 – 4 c all purpose flour (I used 3 2/3)
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbs milk

Combine milk and butter and heat in microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds. Pour milk and butter into bread machine pan. Add vanilla, eggs, salt, and sugar. Add flour. Lastly, add yeast. Run bread on dough cycle.

When dough has doubled in bulk, punch it down and divide it into three equal sections. Roll each piece out into long snakes. Braid the bread, folding the top and bottom ends slightly under to hide the beginning and end of the braid. Place on a parchment paper lined baking stone or inverted cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise another 1 – 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.

Prepare egg wash by whisking the egg and 2 Tbs milk together. Remove plastic wrap. Brush dough with wash. Sprinkle with 1-2 tsp sugar and spray with water. Bake at 400 degrees F in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until internal temperature is 200 degrees F.