Brown Sugar Sesame Braided Bread

This is an eggless, tasty and inviting sweet braided bread stuffed with sesame seeds and khoya reminding the flavors of till (sesame seeds) mawa ladoo stuffed in bread.

This is sweet bread and the sweetness in the dough comes from the condensed milk used just like in this Tutti-fruity Sweet Roll, just that the condensed milk is amped up further in this braid. The condensed milk not only sweetens the bread  but also adds to the milk flavor in these braids. 

The sesame seeds, khoya (dried evaporated milk solids), and the sweet roll make a scrumptious breakfast. These are also great for an anytime snack. Trust me, these are addictive. Along with a cup of Masala Chai, these are great for entertaining guests for a chai party or chai time with family.

Sesame balls/laddoo and ellu podi (sweet sesame powder) are my favorites. We make these with black sesame. But, we also try many recipes with the white sesame and they are also equally good, it is the one with the hull removed. The nutritional benefits of sesame is quite well known. It is a good source of plant based protein, fiber, and black sesame is rich in calcium too. It is a great idea to include sesame in the diet and these braids would invite anyone to have these. 

The filling inside would remind you of the sesame mawa Ladoo that is made in many parts of northern India during the Sankaranti festival. Sesame gives warmth and is included in the festive meal and snacks. From where I grew, from Sankaranti, it becomes hot and sesame ladoo is not made for that festival. Also, we do use mostly black sesame in many ways but we do not include that in festive meals. So, this ladoo stuffed braid is one of the ideal way we would like to include sesame and you would agree when you try these delicious braids.

Not only is the bread sweet, the filling is also sweet. Ladoos are made with sugar or jaggery traditionally, and brown sugar is used in this recipe to sweeten the filling. Brown sugar gives the effect of jaggery while adding caramel notes too. Powdered sugar can also be used. 

Now, with all these sweet flavors from the filling encased in a sweet and soft bread, this is the ultimate breakfast that gives comfort while giving the satisfaction of having a sweet treat. Plus, these delicious braids add to the nutrition too. 

These braids are not very hard to make. When the dough proves, mix the ingredients for the filling, which is also simple. Stretch and fold the dough once it is doubled in size, divide into four portions, keep the filling, braid the bread, and let it rise for 30 minutes. Brush with Aquafaba and bake for 15-16 minutes. This recipe uses all purpose flour that gives the ultimate soft bread. Bread flour may also be used, but it may give a little chewy texture. I haven’t made these with whole wheat flour yet and will update soon after I try it. Different flours May require a different amount of liquid, and so adjust the quantity of liquid by one or two tablespoons depending on the flour used. 

This is the final recipe for the 13 day event Bakeathon 2022. We share three baked recipes all through this month and this sesame braid is a delicious one for you to try for Sankranti too. Here are the links to the recipes shared for Bakeathon 2022.

Pumpkin Banana Bread

Eggless Banana Almond Gingerbread

Pandesal

Samosa Chaat Pizza

Cheese Hatch Chile Tamale Cups

Cranberry Gingerbread Rolls

Roasted Tandoori Spice Vegetables

Tutti Fruity Sweet Rolls

Baked Millet Handvo

Baked Malai Paneer Pasta

Peppermint Mocha Muffins

Eggless Peppermint Banana Bread