1-1/2 cups milk
5 eggs
3/4 cup butter
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon (rounded) cardamon
1 package yeast
7 to 9 cups flour (approximate)

Scald milk, add sugar, butter, salt, and cardamon. Let cool.

Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water, add eggs and 2 cups flour. Mix well (dough-hook on stand mixer works well). Let rest for 10 or 15 minutes.

Add flour (7 cups +/-) until a stiff dough is formed. Knead, then cover with towel and let rise to double in size (about 2 hours).

Punch dough down and divide into 9 equal parts. Roll each of the 9 pieces of dough into strips about 18" long. Then braid the dough strips, 3 at a time, into three loaves, each about 12" long overall.

Place loaves on buttered cookie sheets and let rise to double in size.

Bake at 400°F until crust is dark brown or until bread is well baked.

Brush a glazing liquid over the loaves made from: 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tbsp. butter. Place back in the oven for a minute to dry.

Yield: Three 12" Braided Loaves.