This recipe is from ongoing contributor Ed Malesky, and comes from a compilation of his grandmother's recipes.

BRAIDED BREAD (NANA'S RECIPE)  (from Ed Malesky)

Ingredients:
• 1-1/2 cup milk (more or less)
• 2 yeast cakes
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/8 stick butter
• 1/2 lemon rind
• 3 eggs
• 6 cups flour
• 1-1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions:
  1. In a saucepan heat all of the milk to lukewarm. Dissolve yeast and one Tbsp. sugar in one half the milk.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl cream the butter with the sugar and add the lemon rind; then add the eggs.
  3. Combine this mixture with the yeast/sugar/milk mixture.
  4. In a large mixing bowl add the salt (to taste) into the flour.
  5. Slowly stir the liquid mixture into the flour. The dough should be stiff but somewhat pliable.
  6. If the dough is too stiff to work with, add in some of the reserved milk as needed.
  7. Cover with a clean towel and let rise to double the volume (1 hr.), then form into (6) strings. Each string should be about 10 in. long and 1-1/2 in. wide.
  8. Take three strings and braid them into one loaf. Repeat with the other strings.
  9. Let the loaves rise and double again, then let bake at 350° F for 30 minutes.