If you've never had Challah (pronounced "holla") it's a rich Jewish bread made with egg and braided into a long loaf. It's absolutely stunning when you take it out of the oven.
Now, I don't own a stand mixer (but anyone that wants to buy me a KitchenAid is welcome to do so!) so I do it by hand and it wasn't too hard at all. But if you do own a stand mixer I imagine it would do your wrists some good without all that stirring. The instructions are very thorough, and you may feel a little daunted looking them over, but the recipe really is easy and the instructions help you come out with the perfect bread. It's only about 30 minutes of active work time. The results are completely worth it!
This recipe makes two big loaves, one to keep and one to eat now or share with a friend. We even made a tiny loaf for Dana to have all to herself. If you're going to use it for french toast like we did, leave it out overnight wrapped in a dishtowel so it gets a little stale, which is best for french toast.
Tante B's Famous Challah
3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus
3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons dry yeast 2 (1/4 ounce) packages dry yeast
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 to 1 cup sugar, depending on how sweet you want your Challah (I used 3/4 cup for mine and it was just slightly sweet)
2 cups warm water (80-90 degrees)
Glaze
1 egg, beaten
poppy seeds (optional) or sesame seeds (optional)
1. Measure out your sugar and take one tablespoon of the sugar you've measured and combine it in your mixing bowl with the yeast and the warm water. (You know you have the right temperature of warm water when it's the same temperature as the inside of your wrist).
2. Let the yeast mixture sit for 10 minutes or until it's nice and foamy.
3. Now add the rest of the sugar, the salt and the first 3 and 1/2 cups of flour to the yeast.
4. Mix well. If you're using a stand mixer use the bread hook.
6. Add the beaten egg & oil.
7. Slowly start mixing in the remaining 3 and 1/2 cups of flour (you will not need all of it). The dough will become quite thick.
8. When the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl, turn it onto a floured surface and knead for approximately 10 minutes.
9. Add only enough of the remaining flour to make the dough manageable.
10. Knead until dough has acquired a "life of it's own"; it should be smooth and elastic, springing back when pressed lightly with your fingertip.
11. Place the dough in a large oiled bowl, turning once so the dough is oiled on all sides.
12. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel and put in a warm place to rise for 2 hours, punching down in 4-5 places every 20 minutes.
13. It helps to write down the time you start so you don't forget when the two hours are up and set a timer for every twenty minutes so you remember to punch down your dough.
14. After 2 hours, turn your dough out onto your work surface.
15. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
16. Prepare your baking sheet(s) lining with parchment paper.
17. Now comes the forming part: Take a large, sharp knife and cut the dough in half.
18. Take one of the halves and cut into three equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 10-12 inches long. Braid the 3 pieces together pinching the top and bottom pieces together and turning them under. Place on the baking sheet.
19. Repeat the same for the other loaf.
20. Let the challah rise for 1/2 an hour.
21. After the challah has risen, brush with the beaten egg. You may sprinkle on poppy seeds or sesame seeds if you wish.
22. Almost done!
23. Put in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. (Mine were brown in about 20 minutes and were getting quite dark by this point, so watch your bread in the last 10 minutes of this step in the baking and go to the next step when they're golden.)
24. Turn off the oven and leave the loaves in for another 10 minutes.
25. Remove from oven.
26. Enjoy! You deserve every compliment you get.
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Tip: The only tip I have this time is this: if you want really good bread, use really good flour. I absolutely swear by King Arthur Flour because it's very high quality, unbleached and unbromated and it makes your baked goods shine. I used a half and half mix of their bread flour and all-purpose flour for this recipe. I buy mine at Albertson's where it's on sale for half price right now!
King Arthur also sells lots of other fine baking goods on their website and have loads of great recipes.
Next time I'll post the recipe for the glorious Apple Cider Syrup I made to go with the french toast. It was absolutely sinful! (Oh, and the french toast was the best I'd ever made, bar none.)
