Braided Challah with Blackcurrants

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water (about 43°C)
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 4 cups of wheat flour, plus about 1 cup for kneading the dough
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 whole CO eggs
• 3 egg yolks from category CO eggs
• 3 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 1 tbsp coarse salt
• 3/4 - 1 cup black currants
• 1 tbsp. poppy seeds

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl, combine water and sugar. Sprinkle yeast over the top. Let sit until foamy, about 8 minutes.
   
   Place 1 cup of flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, 1 whole egg, the yolks, olive oil, and salt. Pour this mixture into the well. Stir.
   
   Add the yeast, the remaining 3 cups of flour, and the currants, and mix until a soft, lumpy dough forms. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until soft and pliable, about 10 minutes.
2. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until doubled in size, about an hour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, knead for a minute, form it into a ball, and return it to the bowl. Cover and let rise again until doubled in size, about an hour.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form the loaf according to these instructions: Place the dough on a clean work surface and divide it into 3 equal pieces. Roll and stretch each piece to form a 30-38 cm long rope. Place the ropes side by side on the work surface. Starting at the far end, braid the ropes. Once the braid is complete, tuck the ends under and pinch them shut. Place the loaf on the prepared baking sheet.
   
   Cover the bread with a clean, dry kitchen towel and let it rise until it doubles in size, about an hour.
   
   Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 190°C (375°F). Beat the remaining egg. Brush the bun with the egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes.