TURKISH EASTER BREAD (PASKALYA COREGI)

I thought I would be topical with this recipe with Easter just around the corner. Turkiye may have been the very first true multi-cultural community hundereds of years ago where all religions lived together in piece and respected one another's views. To the point where neighbours helped celebrate each other's special days together regardless of their religion, culture, or language. Turkish easter bread was cooked in homes all over through the easter season.
2 eggs (save the yolk of one for the top)
1 cup cooking oil
1 cup warm milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons yeast
1 teaspoon mahalep
Flour

• Put 1/2 cup warm milk in a tall glass. Add in 1 teaspoon sugar and 2 teaspoon yeast. Stir and let it sit for 15 minutes until the yeast rises
• Mix the 1 egg and the white of the second egg together. Add in sugar, salt, milk, cooking oil and mahalep.
• Start adding flour. After the first cup, start adding a little at a time until you make a dough that is soft. Add enough flour that it does not stick to your hands.
• Let it rest for a couple of hours. The dough will rise.
• Take small pieces of dough and roll into "strands" (look like long pencils)
• Use three "strands" to "braid" your dough together to take the shape of the easter bread
• Continue until you use all your dough
• Mix 1 tablespoon cold water with the remaining egg yolk and spread over the easter bread
• Cook at 350 until golden brown