Challah Bread Recipe
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Category: |
Category: |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Double recipe: (What I usually make.)
4 C warm tap water (not hot)
2 packages yeast (not fast acting)
4 Tbsp sugar
10 -12 C flour, or as much as needed so the dough is slightly sticky
4 tea salt
1/2 C honey
1/4 C margarine or butter
3 eggs, slightly beaten
Need a large mixing bowl, and a giant bowl to for dough raising, or two large bowls, if divide dough in half for raising.
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Directions: |
Directions:Mix together first three ingredients and then let the yeast, sugar, and water "proof" or sit for about 15 minutes - make sure the yeast bubbles! (The water must be warm enough to activate the yeast, but not too hot or it wil kill them.)
While waiting, grease 4 bread loaf pans, get out Saran Wrap, and dampen dish towels for future steps.
To mix the rest of the ingredients, start with proofed yeast mixture in large bowl.
Hand stir in two cups of flour to get started.
Add the next four ingredients with a beater on slow speed.
Add more flour, a cup at a time, until it gets too thick to add using an electric beater, even 1/4 cup at at time.
Stir in more flour by hand until dough is slightly sticky.
Turn the dough out on a flat surface covered with flour and knead with additional flour until it's only slightly sticky and is springy. It takes about 10 minutes of kneading to get good bread.
A smooth counter top or large bread board are best. Never work on tiles held together with grout (infection control problem).
Put the dough into a giant greased bowl (or two big bowls), grease lightly the top of the dough, and cover with greased Saran Wrap and then a damp towel.
Set in warm area.
Let rise for 2 hours, or until dough is double in size.
Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Knead it lightly into a ball.
Press the ball flat so can cut equally into four pieces.
Then roll each quarter into new balls.
Set aside 3 balls.
Pat and squeeze the fourth ball into an oblong shape that will fit into the bread pan.
Place in a warm place for rising.
Repeat with other 3 dough balls.
Cover 4 pans with greased Saran wrap and damp dish towels (re-use).
Let sit in warm area until bread rises near to top of loaf pan, about 30 - 45 minutes, depending on how warm the area is.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
(If you want to be authentic, brush the top of the loaf with 1 beaten egg before baking. Grandma has never tried this.)
Remove loaves from oven and put on an elevated rack so can cool on all sides. After 5 minutes, run a knife around edges, and remove from pans and let cool rest of way.
For sandwich buns, cut the dough in half and roll the first half into a circle. Dough needs to be somewhere around 1/2 inch thick.
Cut into circles with a large mouth drinking glass.
Put the circles of dough on a well greased baking sheet.
Add left over dough to remaining half and repeat the rolling pin process. (I used a round pop bottle as a rolling pin when first married until my Aunt Audrey took pity on me. 60 years later, I'm still using the one she bought me.)
Bake 20 - 25 minutes at 350. Cool on elevated rack. |
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Preparation
Time: |
Preparation
Time:30 minutes here and maybe 30 minutes there |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: If you only want to make 2 loaves, cut the recipe in half.
I started using Challah bread for Cinnamon Rolls about 2 years ago. I liked the slightly different honey and egg flavor, and no one really noticed. If you want two pans of Cinnamon Rolls, it takes the whole batch! If you want to learn how to roll out Cinnamon Rolls, personal appointments may be made at 925-447-8455.
Challah great for sandwiches and French Toast or any other kind of toast especially if stale, but seldom lasts that long.
This recipe is a gift from Jennifer's friend, Jeni Pleskow, who got it from her Bubby (Grandmother). So, around and around it goes. Except she cuts the dough into 8 strands and does a fancy braid thing. I can braid 3 strands if they are attached to somebody's head, but only on a really good day.
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