Braided Bread - Michael Fletcher

(For a few years we lived in a Jewish area of Detroit, Michigan with a bakery nearby.  I used to love the braided egg bread also known as Challah.  This is as close to theirs as I can find.)

4½ cups flour                                      

2 pkgs dry yeast

2 tbsp. sugar                                        
2 tsp. salt
½ cup water                                         
½ cup milk
2 tbsp. shortening                                               
3 eggs

Mix flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a bowl.  Boil water, milk, shortening and add to dry ingredients.  Beat eggs and add all but 1 tbsp. to bread mixture.  Mix and let rise for one hour.  Separate into 3 parts.  Roll out each section into a 15 inch strand (or rope).  Take each strand and braid together.  Place on lightly greased baking sheet.  Glaze with remaining tbsp. of beaten egg.  Let raise ½ hour.  Bake at 400º for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.