Gimme Some Challah!

Since I haven’t been working, I’ve gotten back into baking and perfecting the art of bread making is at the top of my list. Last week I tried a whole wheat bread that wasn’t up to par and left me feeling a bit frustrated by my efforts. So this morning, after polishing off last weeks efforts, I opted for a sweet bread that is much easier and nearly fool-proof for even novice bread makers. Sweet breads, like challah, don’t require nearly as much resting time as other heartier breads, so from start to finish, this beauty was done in just under 4 hours.

This one’s a real crowd pleaser, so next time you’re invited over for a dinner party, bust this one out and watch people drool.

Challah Bread Recipe

Sponge

1 ^1/3 c. flour
¾ c. warm water
4 tsp. instant yeast

Prepare the sponge about 30 minutes before mixing the final dough. Combine the ingredients in medium bowl and mix together with your fingers until combined. The dough will be tough, but that’s ok.  Cover your bowl with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

While the sponge is resting, you can start on your final dough.

Final Dough

3 ^2/3 c. flour
^1/3 c. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. warm water
3 whole eggs
2 egg yolks (reserve the whites for later)
4 T. vegetable oil

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the final dough. Once your sponge has doubled in size, add it too.  Mix well by hand (or if you’re lucky and have a stand mixer, use the dough hook) for 16 minutes. If the dough is exceptionally tough, add small amounts of water to help all of the ingredients come together.  Your dough should be smooth at the end of the mixing period.

Place the dough in a bowl coated with nonstick cooking spray or a bit of oil with room for the dough to double in size. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap (not a towel this time, otherwise the dough will dry out) and let the dough rest at room temperature for 1 ¼ hours, or until it doubles in size.

Once the dough has doubled in size, divide the dough into 3 equal parts and shape into rounds. Cover them lightly with plastic wrap and let them rest of about 20 minutes. After resting, roll the rounds into 12-18 inch strands. The strands should be slightly thicker in the middle and tapered at the ends. If the dough feels a bit dry, do not hesitate to spray it with water from a spray bottle.

Lightly press the tips of each of the 3 strands together to start your braid. Braid the strands, just as you would hair, and tuck the pieces in together once you reach the end so that they hold.  Carefully move the braided dough onto a baking sheet, spray with a mist of water, cover and let proof for 60-75 minutes. The braided lough should double in size before baking.

Preheat the oven to 350 about 20 minutes before baking. Brush the top of the braid with egg wash (reserved egg whites from before) and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds if you have them.

Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Make sure you allow the bread to cool completely before you break into it!