Braided Sesame-Seed Bread

1-1/2 cups hot milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 cup butter or margarine

2 pkg active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

2 eggs 

6-1/2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour

1 egg

2 tablespoons butter or margin, melted

2 tablespoons sesame or poppy seeds

Into hot milk, stir sugar, salt, 1/2 cup butter. Cool to lukewarm. Sprinkle yeast over warm water. Stir to dissolve. Stir in lukewarm milk mixture. Add 2 eggs, 3 cups flour; beat, at high speed, 2 minutes.

With a wooden spoon, gradually beat in 3 1/2 cups flour; mix with hand until dough is stiff enough to leave side of bowl. Turn out on lightly-floured pastry cloth. Knead: Fold over; push away with palm of hand until smooth and elastic--about 10 minutes.

Place dough in a lightly-greased, large bowl. Turn the dough over to bring up greased side. Cover with towel; let dough rise in a warm place (85 degrees, until the dough is double in bulk. Turn out on a lightly floured pastry cloth.

Divide dough in half; cut each half into thirds. Using palm of hands, roll each third into a 26-inch-long strip. Braid three strips; pinch ends together. On a large, greased cookie sheet, form the braid into a ring (the center should be 6 inches in diameter).

Mix egg with 2 tablespoons water; use some to brush top of ring. braid remaining strips; form into ring on top of first ring. brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Cover with towel. Let rise in warm place, free from drafts, until double in bulk--about 1 hour.

Place rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Brush top of braid with rest of the egg mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seed. Bake 45 minutes, or until golden-brown. (If it's too brown after 25 minutes, cover loosely with foil.) Cool slightly on rack.