Time required: 3 hours (including 2.5 hours of proofing time)
Origin: Adapted from NYT Cooking and Nik's coworker
Ingredients
1.5 tbsp yeast
1 tbsp honey
1 3/4 cups bathtub-temperature water
1/2 cup butter, melted
5 eggs, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp salt
8-8.5 cups all-purpose flour
Method
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast (1.5 tbsp) and honey (1 tbsp) in bathtub-temperature water (1 3/4 cups). Let it sit for 5-10 minutes so the yeast starts to gently bubble up. If it does not do this, your yeast might be dead and you should start again with fresh yeast.
Whisk melted butter (1/2 cup) into yeast mixture, then beat in eggs (4), one at a time, with sugar (1/2 cup) and salt (1 tbsp).
Gradually add flour (8-8.5 cups), one cup at a time. When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading. You may also use a mixer with a dough hook for both mixing and kneading.
Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 10 ninutes.
Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place, like an oven with the oven light turned on, for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size.
Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another 30 minutes.
To make 2 dough braids, divide the dough in half, and then each half into thirds. With your hands, roll each dough ball into a strand about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Place 3 strands in a row, parallel to one another. Start in the middle of the strands by folding the outer right piece over the middle piece, then the left piece over the piece that is now in the middle. Continue braiding. When you get to the end, press the ends together and fold them underneath the loaf. Place loves on parchment lined baking sheets.
Either freeze breads or let rise another hour. Remove frozen loaves 5 hours before baking.
Beat the remaining egg (1) and brush it on loaves.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake in middle of oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden. Cool loaves on a rack.