For Christmas each year, I like to make something (usually food) (ok I mean always food) and give it to my neighbors and friends. This year I went blackberry picking with my sister and her husband, and so during the summer I made blackberry jam. So as Christmas approached I thought it would be fun to make some small loaves of bread to give with the jam. Since I've been practicing my breads, I thought I'd try a few new shapes (the dough was a transitional (meaning half wheat, half white) sandwich loaf bread). My favorite was the braid, as seen below.
It's been so long since I made them and I've made so many things since, that I can't remember how long I baked them. It seems like it wasn't very long, though - maybe 20 minutes, tops?
I received so many compliments on these little braids that I think I'll probably have to make them again to give away. They're just so pretty, and really very very simple to make. As bread shaping goes, I'd say this is a moderate difficulty, but certainly on the easier side of moderate.
