How to Make a Bread Dough Basket

This is an easy and inexpensive gift for older children to make. Use it as a centerpiece or fill it with pomander balls for the holidays. Each basket only costs a few cents to make. Read "How to Make Salt Dough" for the recipe for your dough.

Things You'll Need

• Aluminum Foil
• Shellac Or Varnish
• Small Brushes
• Eggs
• Flour
• Salt
• 7-inch-diameter Bowls
• Cookie Sheets
• Knife
• Nonstick Cooking Spray
• Oven Mitts
• Ovenproof Glass Bowl
• Pastry Brushes
• Rolling Pins
• Small Mixing Bowls
• Wire Whisks
• Rulers
• Cookie sheets
• Oven mitts

Instructions

1. Prepare a basket mold by using a glass bowl about 7 inches in diameter.

2. Turn the bowl upside down and lightly spray it with nonstick vegetable spray or cover it with aluminum foil. Make sure the foil is smooth, and tuck the foil edges inside the bowl.

3. Make the dough. See "How to Make Salt Dough," under Related eHows.

4. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured counter into a rectangle shape about 1/8-inch thick.

5. Cut eight 3/4-inch-wide strips about 14 inches long, or long enough to go over the top of the bowl and down the sides with 1/2 inch excess on each side.

6. Weave your lattice design on the floured surface and transfer it to the bowl later. Lay four strips of dough on the table running horizontally. Weave the remaining four strips one at a time over and under the first four, forming a solid woven base.

7. Brush water on each place where the dough strips overlap to bind the strips together.

8. Place the lattice design on the mold by holding the mold close to the edge of the counter; the bottom of the bowl should be even with the top of the counter. Slide the dough gently over the bowl.

9. Overlap two strips at a time on the sides around the basket. When you're finished, the sides will have what look like Xs around the basket. If the dough bows up when you're making your Xs, gently press it down and reshape it with your fingers.

10. Cut three 3/4-inch-wide by 26-inch-long strips of dough, and roll them into ropes.

11. Gently braid the three ropes.

12. Place the braid around what will be the rim of the dough basket. Overlap the ends of the braid about 1/2 inch. Press the ends together to make them more secure.

13. Trim any excess dough.

14. Press the braided rim into the lattice.

15. Moisten with water every place the dough overlaps, and press the pieces together gently.

16. Place the bowl on a cookie sheet.

17. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 30 minutes.

18. Beat one egg with 1 tsp. water.

19. Remove the bowl from the oven.

20. Gently remove the basket from the bowl.

21. Place the basket back on the baking sheet (upside down) and brush the outside of the basket with the egg mixture.

22. Bake another 15 minutes or until the basket is golden-brown and dry, but not brittle.

23. Cool the basket completely and shellac or varnish it.

24. Let it dry for 24 hours.