Ingredients

dough:

1 cup milk 

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 envelope yeast

2 tsp salt

3 cups Daybreak Mill All-Purpose flour

boiling solution:

3 quarts water 

3/4 cup baking soda

egg wash:

1 egg

1 teaspoon water

prep time: 20min        cook time: 27m        Ready in: 1h49min

Heat milk and butter until warm; the butter will not completely melt.  Combine with undissolved yeast and brown sugar in a large mixer bowl.  Stir in salt and 2 cups flour, beat for 3 minutes.  Gradually add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.  Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 mins.  Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine boiling solution and bring to a boil.  Punch dough down and divide into 8 equal pieces.  Form each piece into a tight, but smooth ball.  Boil each loaf in the solution for 2 minutes, turning after 1 minute.  Remove loaves from pot using a slotted spoon and place on greased baking sheet.

Brush with egg wash and cut a cross in the top!  Bake for 15 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake an additional 10 to 12 minutes until the loaves are evenly browned,  remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

****Adapted from ARGO, KARO and Fleischmans