This recipe is for a decadent rich Challah bread No matter who I serve this to everyone hails it the best Challah theyve tasted Makes 2 large loaves
Prep Time
1 hr 30 mins
Dificult
Medium
Servings
2 hrs 20 mins
Ingredients
Instructions
Dissolve the honey in the water in a large mixing bowl
and stir in the yeast. Set the mixture aside until the yeast forms a creamy layer on top
about 15 minutes. Stir in the salt
2/3 cup of olive oil
and beaten eggs. Add the flour 1 cup at a time until the dough is slightly tacky
but not sticky wet.
Turn it out onto a floured surface
and knead until smooth and elastic
about 10 minutes. Lightly oil a bowl
place the dough in the bowl
turn the dough over a few times to oil the surface
then let rise until doubled in a warm
draft-free place
about 90 minutes.
To make the loaves
punch down the dough
and cut it into 2 equal-sized pieces. Cut the first piece into 4 equal parts. Set the second piece aside under a cloth to prevent drying out while you braid the first loaf.
To braid the first 4-strand loaf
roll the 4 pieces of dough into thin ropes about the width of your thumb
and about 14 inches long. Make the tops and bottoms of each rope thinner than the middle area. Pinch the tops of the 4 ropes together
and fan the 4 ropes out so they don't touch.
To make an "under-2
over-1 braid
" take the left-most rope
and move it to the right to cross underneath the next 2 ropes
then move it left to cross back over the strand immediately to its left. Take the far right strand
and move it to the left and cross it under the two strands to its left (they are already crossed from the previous braid); then move it right to cross back over the strand immediately to its right. Repeat until the 4 strands are braided together all the way to the end
and pinch the ends tightly together. Repeat the steps to braid the second loaf
and let the braided loaves rise for 1 hour.
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Make a glaze by whisking together the milk
2 tablespoons of olive oil
the egg white
and the sugar in a bowl. Brush the braided loaves with the glaze
to make a shiny crust
and bake the loaves on the prepared baking sheets in the preheated oven until they are light golden brown
about 30 minutes.
Editor's Note:
To make a simple 3-strand braided loaf
cut each half of the dough into 3 pieces. Working on a floured surface
roll the small dough pieces into ropes about the thickness of your thumb and about 12 inches long. Ropes should be fatter in the middle and thinner at the ends. Pinch 3 ropes together at the top and braid them. Starting with the strand to the right
move it to the left over the middle strand (that strand becomes the new middle strand.) Take the strand farthest to the left
and move it over the new middle strand. Continue braiding
alternating sides each time
until the loaf is braided
and pinch the ends together and fold them underneath for a neat look.
