Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 2 ounce active dry yeast + 3 tablespoons sugar
6 cups warm water, divided
4 tablespoons kosher salt
6lbs high-gluten flour or bread flour
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 ½ to 2 cups canola oil, divided (there is a range sometimes you use more sometimes less)
2 whole eggs, lightly beaten for egg wash
1/2 cup sesame seeds (optional)
1/2 cup poppy seeds (optional)
Large black garbage bag
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Directions: |
Directions: In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and 3 tablespoons of sugar in 2 cups of warm water, cover loosely with a towel and set aside.
Place salt, flour and sugar in a huge bowl.
Yeast should now have bubbled/foamed and doubled in size, if yeast has not bubbled or does not seem active repeat the process again. If yeast has proved, add the 4 eggs and vanilla.
Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and slowly pour yeast and sugar water mixture into the well. Then add the remaining 4 cups of warm water into the well. Make sure the water is not too hot. It should be no warmer than you would use for a baby’s bath.
Start kneading ingredients together and add a ½ cup of oil.
For the next 10 minutes, knead, adding another ½ cup of oil slowly during that time as needed to create a workable dough. Dough shouldn’t be too sticky and also should not be dry. It should become one cohesive mass.
Loosely cover dough with a large kitchen towel and large trash bag (yes seriously) tucking the ends of the bag under the bowl (it should be fairly loose) and place in a warm spot in your kitchen for 15 minutes. If you have a bread rising function on your oven use that or put the oven on 100 and crack the door of the oven.
After 15 minutes, lightly oil your hand and knead again for another 5 minutes adding a touch more oil to the dough if necessary. The dough should now be easier to work with and will become smooth and satiny.
Rub a little oil over the top and around the dough. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel. Place covered bowl in a plastic garbage bag and place open ends of the bag loosely underneath the bowl, trapping in air.
Place in a warm spot and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Punch dough down and knead (lightly oil your hands if necessary), flipping it and releasing any air bubbles. Cover again, using the towel and the bag, and let rise 1more hour.
Lightly oil your hands, and punch down again. With a sharp knife divide dough into 4 equal parts.
Liberally spray baking pans with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Flour a board/counter and begin forming Challah’s as you see fit (braids etc)
Brush challahs with beaten egg and sprinkle with a combination of poppy and sesame seeds or other toppings if you want.
Bake at 375 for 10 minutes and then lower your oven temperature to 350 F and bake for an additional 35 to 45 minutes, until challah tops are dark golden brown. |
This recipe for Challah Bread is from