Challah Bread
Makes 2 1-lb Challah Loaves
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp yeast
- ¼ cup honey
- 5 cups of bread flour
- 3 whole eggs
- 1 tbsp salt
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg white (for glaze)
Special Equipment
- mixer with dough hook
- kitchen scale
How-to
Make the Dough
- In a mixing bowl combine 3 eggs, water, yeast and honey
- Start mixing using a dough hook attachment
- Add salt (be sure to add salt at this stage of mixing)
- Add vegetable oil
- Adjust water and flour so dough is not too wet or too dry
- Mix for 2-3 minutes
- Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface
- Knead, adding small amounts of flour, making 1/4 turns for 5-6 minutes until smooth (don't knead to the point the dough rips)
- Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover, let rise in a warm area for 1 hour (first rise)
Braid the Challah (for 1 loaf)
- Measure out 4 sections of dough, about 4 oz. each
- Roll strands into equal-length cylinders
- Pinch strands together at one end
- Take strand on left and bring over two strands
- Take strand on right and bring over two strands
- Twist middle two strands
- Repeat steps 4-5-6 until whole loaf is braided, not too tight but not too loose
- Pinch the ends together
- Place on baking sheet, cover, let rise in a warm area for 1/2 hour (second rise) - dough will double in size
Bake the Challah
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Brush egg white glaze on top of loaf (optional: sprinkle sesame seeds or poppy seeds on top)
- Bake for 35-45 minutes
- Turn loaf once at 15 minutes to bake evenly
- Loaf is done when golden brown