1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, unsalted
2 env. active dry yeast
pinch sugar
1/3 cup very warm water
4 eggs, beaten
7 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp. milk

Combine 1 cup milk, 1 cup sugar, salt and butter in saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until butter melts. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

Sprinkle yeast and sugar over very warm water in large bowl ("Very warm water" should feel comfortably warm when dropped on wrist). Stir to dissolve yeast. Let stand until bubbly, about 10 minutes.

Stir lukewarm milk mixture into yeast mixture. Mix in eggs. Beat in flour, 1 cup at a time, until 6 cups have been added and mixture forms soft dough.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth, elastic and no longer sticky, adding as much of remaining flour as necessary. (Dough should not be too stiff). Form dough into ball. Place in greased bowl; turn to coat. Cover; let rise in warm place until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Lightly grease three 8-inch round aluminum foil cake pans.

Divide dough into thirds. Shape each into a ball squeezing out large air bubbles. Place dough into prepared pans. Cover; let rise in warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix egg yolk and 2 tablespoons milk; brush over dough. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until loaves are deep golden brown and cake tester comes out clean when inserted in center of loaves. Cool in pans on wire racks. Wrap; store at room temperature.

Makes 3 (8-inch) round loaves.

Submitted by: Diana Newman