Challah - Frugal Gourmet

By norsegal8

Ingredients

• Dough:
• 2 1/2 cups tepid (105 to 115 degrees) water
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 envelopes quick-rising dry yeast
• 3 eggs, at room temperature, beaten
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 pounds all-purpose flour
• cornmeal
• Egg Wash:
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon water
• sesame seeds for garnish

Details

Servings 2

Preparation

Step 1

Place the water, salt and sugar in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the yeast and stir to dissolve. Stir in the beaten eggs and the oil. Beat in 5 cups of the weighed-out flour to make a batter. Beat for 5 minutes or until the batter begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Knead in the remaining flour by machine until smooth.

Place the dough on a clean countertop and cover with a large bowl. Allow the dough to rise until doubled in bulk. Punch the dough down and allow it to rise again. Punch the dough down again and divide it in half. Cut each half into thirds. Braid the thirds together and press the ends together and under with your hands.

Sprinkle a large, parchment-lined sheet pan with a little of the cornmeal. Place the braided loaves on the sheet pan and allow it to double in bulk again.

Beat the 2 egg yolks and 1 tablespoon of water together for the egg wash. Lightly brush both loaves. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes until the loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Cool on racks.