Recipe

Challah Recipe

	Unswissmiss / All my dishes 1 year, 2 months ago This challah recipe was given to me by a friend's mother. It makes for a fantasticly soft and tender bread that's perfect for semi-special days - Sundays, Fridays, or anytime you want a treat. The recipe makes a lot - I get six small loaves out of th... More Prep:45m Cook:30m Servings:6	Unswissmiss
	jewish

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Ingredients

3 packages dry yeast

1 1/2 C. warm water (100-115 F)

1 C. vegetable oil

5 lbs. all purpose flour

1 Tbsp. sugar

4 eggs, beaten

3/4 C. sugar

4 tsp. Salt

1 1/2 C. warm water (additional)

1 egg yolk for glaze

sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

Add yeast and 1 Tbsp. sugar to 1 1/2 C. warm water and set aside until spongy (5 minutes).

Beat together eggs, oil, sugar and salt in a very large bowl. (Tip: a 4 1/2 quart Kitchenaid stand mixer is NOT big enough for the dough.)

Alternately mix in yeast, flour, and additional water until the dough is “smooth as a baby’s tush” when a piece of it is stretched. The dough will start up lumpy and at the end still be very soft, though elastic.

Let rise until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Separate into balls. I go with 18 to make loaves small enough for 2-3 people to finish, but make a multiple of 3.

Roll each ball into a long even log about 1 inch in diameter. Lay 3 logs together and beginning from the center, braid each end to form traditional loaves. (The rolling and the braiding help give the dough its nice texture, so don't try to take a shortcut and make this into regular bread.) Make sure to seal the ends well and tuck them under, so the braids don't come apart during rising/baking.

Place the loaves on greased or parchment-lined baking sheets, cover with damp towels, and let them rise another hour.

Coat each loaf with beaten egg. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.

Put into a cold oven, turn the temperature to 350 F, and bake until light brown and hollow when rapped, approximately 30 minutes.

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