[margaretmattson]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I make my hands without any machine other than the oven. I mix it in a big bowl with a wooden spoon until it's too thick/dense to use the spoon, and then I use my hands to finish the mixing. I knead the dough on a huge bamboo cutting board, put it back in the bowl and set it out on the lanai to rise with a wet towel covering it for an hour. I bring it back in, punch it down, and set it back out for another hour. Bring it back in, shape it into three braided loaves, set THOSE back out on the lanai for a half hour, give them an egg wash, and bake them.

The whole process, from measuring the ingredients to taking the finished loaves out to cool on the stovetop, is around 5 hours.

It's incredibly zen, focusing, balancing. And the smell is otherworldly wonderful.

3 loaves? Save one for me! Sounds incredibly yummy!