In a bowl, add the milk, yeast, and sugar whisk well until the sugar dissolves.

Add the rest of ingredients and knead for two minutes. The dough will be very sticky at this point but knead for two minutes and it will get a little firmer yet still sticky.

Grab the dough and bash it on your working surface, do this until the dough gets firmer, might take three minutes. (no need to add more flour to the working surface.)

In an oiled bowl, place the dough and cover it to double in size, will take 90 minutes.

Punch the dough but do not knead it again. Cut the dough in half, then cut each half into half.

Roll two halves into a long log, around 15 to 16 inch. Make a cross shape from the two halves, hold the bottom log from two ends and overlap, now do this to the top log, continue doing so and you will see that the braid is created. Tuck the ends under the braid. Do this with the remaining two halves.

Cover and let it rise again for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

Brush the braids with the egg wash and sprinkle sesame seed, nigella seeds, or poppy seed on top. Bake for 14 minutes.

Place on cooling rack to cool completely.

***PS: I measure flour by spooning the flour into my measuring cup, then with the straight side of a knife I level the flour across the measuring cup.