Challah
This recipe is from Rosemary, who can be found here!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 C Lukewarm Water
- One Packet/2 1/4 Tsp Active Dry Yeast
- 2 Tsp Sugar
- 5 Eggs
- 7 Cups Flour (At least; Not exact)
- 2 1/2 Tbsp Salt
- 1/2 Cup Orange Blossom Honey
- Canola Oil, for greasing
Instructions
Stir together:
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 1 Packet Yeast
- 2 Teaspoons Sugar
- Let sit for 10 minutes
- Mixture should turn foamy. If not, get new yeast.
Whisk in:
- 1 1/4 Cups Water
- 1 Full Egg
- 3 Egg Yolks
- 1/4 Cup Honey
- 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Salt
- Incorporate everything thoroughly.
Add 4 1/2-6 cups of flour in increments of 1/2 a cup at a time. Stir between increments with a large spoon.
When it becomes too thick to stir, knead with your hands.
Add flour and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, but not sticky.
Grease your second mixing bowl with canola oil.
Move your dough into the new bowl and flip it around to coat it in oil.
If it's warm outside, cover bowl in plastic wrap and sit it by a window to rise. If it's cold outside, boil a pot of water and place it on the lower oven rack.
Cover the bowl in a damp dishcloth and put it on the top oven rack. Close the oven.
Wait 1 hour, or until size doubles.
Punch the dough to remove air.
Wait another hour.
Punch again.
Flour a smooth surface and knead the dough on it until you can press a finger into it and it bounces back.
Divide the dough into as many pieces as you want loaves.
Divide each loaf-piece into 3 equal pieces with a knife.
Roll until they're about 1/4 inch thick.
Roll them lengthwise until they're a long cylinder. Keep pressure on it to prevent air pockets, and smooth out. Taper at the ends.
Braid the pieces together, and repeat this entire process for each loaf. If you're rising the bread using the boiling water method, get that going again now.
Whisk together with a fork:
- 1 Egg
- 1 Tablespoon Cold Water
- 1/2 Tablespoon Salt
- 1/2 Tablespoon Honey
Brush the mixture onto the tops of the loaves, but make sure to leave some behind. This is our egg wash.
Let the dough rise for another 30-45 minutes, or until it bounces back when pressed.
If you're rising using boiling water, take everything out of the oven when you have about 20 minutes left and start preheating to 350 degrees.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven, coat with remainder of egg wash, focusing on un-browned parts of the bread.
Bake for another 20 minutes!