This Lemon Poppy Seed Braid is the first loaf of bread I was ever taught to make. I was 12 years old at that time and was living in a small town with little else to do after school. My mentor was a Canadian lady who made the most wonderful baked goodies. My mom is a great cook but she is not a baker. She was more than happy to allow me to go over to Mrs. D’s house for my lesson in bread making.
Mrs. D made all kinds of breads and cakes but I was most captivated by her poppy seed braid. I asked if she could teach me how to make it and she kindly obliged. I went over to her house one day after school and was treated to some delicious cake before the lesson started. I remember having had to stand on a step stool to do the kneading. It was hard work for my then small hands and skinny arms but I thoroughly enjoyed the lesson. Mrs. D even gave me some fresh yeast so that I could make my own loaf at home, which I did the very next day.
I do not have Mrs. D’s recipe with me any more as it was such a long time ago. I wrote it on a scrap of paper that got lost while I was busy growing up and forgot about bread making. All I remember was that it was a beautiful braided loaf with poppy seeds sprinkled on the top. The recipe below is my own creation made using Meyer lemons. The bread turned out beautifully with a golden crust and a moist and tender inside. Ro-Ri San and the boys loved it so much that I had to make another loaf two days later. Adding lemon to the low-fat milk is like using buttermilk. I guess that was what made the bread so tender and flavorful. I am sure this Lemon Poppy Seed Braid will make Mrs. D proud.
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This bread is delicious served warm spread with some butter or lemon curd.
Enjoy…..and have a wonderful day! 😎
Such a flavorful and yummy recipe..looks so perfect ..loved it 🙂
Hi Biren, I am so impressed with your bread I am sure Mrs. D will be so proud looking at it. Working with yeast is an art which I am yet to master, but ur bread inspires me to try my hand.
Hope u find time to visit my space some time. Take care.
What a perfectly braided bread! Just gorgeous. I bet it tastes every bit as good as it looks. Great for dipping in that yummy looking soup!
Such a beautiful bread. It's nice to learn from other people and so much fun. I do miss that. I think I should visit a neighbor soon. :0
Soo soft and delicious bread…
the brd looks so perfect…grt job…
Great breakfast braided loaf!
Looks perfect. I always love homemade bread. The smell and texture is just superb.
Biren
The bread looks absolutely delicious.I must give it a try.
That's so flavorful..Great breakfast bread 🙂
Ooooh–looks delicious! I'm hoping to pull up my sleeves some time this weekend and try my hand at some bread. 🙂
This is such a beautiful loaf of bread. I would love to try it!
I hate losing recipes… I love that you were able to recreate it 🙂
This really makes me want to start baking bread. It is absolutely gorgeous! I also think the china tea cup and plate are stunning! Wow!
Sarah Naveen – Thank you.
Pari – It is very satisfying to make bread. I hope you will give it a try. BTW, I did visit your blog and left a comment on your latest post 🙂
Cinnamon-Girl – We did enjoy the bread very much. My youngest son loved it with the soup 🙂
Divina Pe – Thanks you. Yes, it is fun to learn from others. These are rare opportunities.
Tina – Thank you!
Silence Sings – Thanks!
Angie's Recipes – We had it for breakfast this morning with sliced turkey and cheese 🙂
MaryMoh – Homemade bread is really tasty. It is really worth the effort.
Princess – I hope you will try it 🙂
Gulmohar – Thank you!
Nam (The Culinary Chronicles) – Thank you! Bread making is very rewarding. I hope you will get to try it this weekend.
Kaitlin – Thanks for visiting and for your compliments. I wasn't sure at first if it will turn out well, but was pleasantly surprised at the outcome.
Kathleen – I have always been and still am a fan of braided breads. They look so appealing and homey. Thanks for your compliments 🙂
The foods that have the deepest place in our hearts are always the ones that come attached with warm memories. Beautiful loaf Biren, and a wonderful story!
This looks so delicious, I can almost smell it from here 🙂
What a great loaf! So nicely braided. And I love the combination of lemon and poppy seeds.
Youer braided loaf is beautiful and the poppy seeds heightens the work of art …..
Absoultely beautiful bread, and so festive!