BRAIDED BREADSTICKS

• In a large bowl add 2 cups flour and sea salt mix together.
• Then in a small bowl add warm water, yeast and sugar, let rise for 5 minutes.
• Mix your egg in a small bowl and in another bowl warm butter, mix together then pour both in with the dry ingredients.
• After yeast have risen pour in with the other ingredients, then start mixing everything together with a spoon or mixer with hook.
• When dough becomes hard to mix with spoon, use your hand adding in the extra 1 cup and knead it by pulling the dough towards and pushing downwards, if you need more warm water or flour to bring it all together thats ok.
• Form into a ball and cover, place in warm place to rise for 30 minutes.
• After risen DON’T DEFLATE dough, then cut into 18 to 21 small pieces around 1-1/2 to 2 inches thick, then roll them by pulling the dough on a floured countertop and rolling the dough into a thin long piece of dough around 8” long and 1/2 inch thick. 
• Do this three times for braiding the three pieces together, first pinch the three pieces of dough together at one end. Then fold each piece over one at a time, forming a braid. Then continue the same method for all dough remaining. 
• Prepare a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, place all the bread braids on the pan, then melt garlic butter and glazing all braids, this is optional. 
• Then cover with a piece of parchment paper and towel let rise for 20 minutes in a warm place.
• Pre-heat oven to 350ºF then bake for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on your oven.
• Then remove from oven take out of pan and place on a cooling rack or serve hot, brush with butter.

Bonita’s Baking Tips: 

• After bread braids are cooled put in freezer bag and freeze, if you wish to keep them fresh for longer.
• If you don’t like garlic butter, use cheese or melted plain butter to glaze.