Instructions: Put about 6 cups of flour into a large mixing bowl. Make a well. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Put all ingredients in the well. Mix. Knead dough on floured board until smooth and no longer sticky (about 10 mins.). Add flour as you knead. Put into greased bowl-turn bottom-side up so that top will be greased and not form crust in rising. Cover with a towel and put into oven over pans filled with boiling water to rise for 2 hours.

Take out bread dough from oven and punch down dough. Divide in half. Braid each half for one loaf of bread. Put into greased pans or onto greased cookie sheets. Cover and let rise in over over boiling water-filled pans for 45 mins. Dough will be well above top of pans.

Take out breads and water-filled pans from the oven, and pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush mixture of egg yolk and water over breads. Put breads into oven at 400 degrees for 10 mins. Then lower oven to 350 degrees and bake for 25 mins. more.

Remove bread from pans or cookie sheets immediately and place on wire racks to cool.

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