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! 😎
Sarah Naveen says
Such a flavorful and yummy recipe..looks so perfect ..loved it 🙂
Pari says
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.
Cinnamon-Girl says
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!
Divina Pe says
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
Tina says
Soo soft and delicious bread…
Silence Sings says
the brd looks so perfect…grt job…
Angie's Recipes says
Great breakfast braided loaf!
MaryMoh says
Looks perfect. I always love homemade bread. The smell and texture is just superb.
Princess says
Biren
The bread looks absolutely delicious.I must give it a try.
Gulmohar says
That's so flavorful..Great breakfast bread 🙂
Nam (The Culinary Chronicles) says
Ooooh–looks delicious! I'm hoping to pull up my sleeves some time this weekend and try my hand at some bread. 🙂
Kaitlin says
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 🙂
Kathleen says
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!
Biren says
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 🙂
denise @ quickies on the dinner table says
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!
Julie says
This looks so delicious, I can almost smell it from here 🙂
Natashya KitchenPuppies says
What a great loaf! So nicely braided. And I love the combination of lemon and poppy seeds.
Vanillastrawberryspringfields says
Youer braided loaf is beautiful and the poppy seeds heightens the work of art …..
Table Talk says
Absoultely beautiful bread, and so festive!