How to make a Braid "Butterzopf" or Challah

Step 2 Preparation of the dough

Since i mix and knead most of my doughs in my Kenwood kitchen machine, i put the flour, the yeast and the salt into the bowl and mix it, so the yeast is evenly distributed. (Normally i use fresh pressed yeast, which i dissolve in some of the milk.)
I melt the butter on low heat, separate 2 yolks into a cup or mug. When the butter is molten, i add some milk to it and then the yolks. (I do this for the butter to cool down a little.) I use the remaining milk to flush the yolk out of the cup. I stir this mixture with a fork and then add it to the flour. Make sure, this mixture isn't too hot, otherwise you kill off your yeast. (i wouldn't go over 35 deg. Celsius or 95 deg. Fahrenheit, although the yeast should survive some more)
Then i start to mix the dough on low speed. When it is mixed, i raise the speed and let it knead for 12 minutes.
Before i got my Kenwood, i mixed it with a large spoon and the kneaded the dough manually for 15 minutes or so. Later i used my hand-mixer with the kneading hooks, but after breaking a couple of these hooks, i realized i needed something sturdier.
When the kneading time is over, i still give the dough some folds manually. So i can feel the dough's consistency.
I put the dough back into the bowl to give it the first rise. You need to cover the bowl with a plastic wrap or a damp towel, otherwise a skin will form on the dough.
When it was ready for fermentation, i looked out the kitchen window and saw my freshly finished bread and pizza oven. We just applied the finishing plaster today. The roof is still beta, but will be completed next week. By the way, i have made a instructable about it, It's in food and home.