Challah Bread

By srumbel

While Challah is a traditional Jewish bread and Easter is not a Jewish holiday, this incredible bread feels perfect for springtime. A little sweet, this recipe makes two gorgeous loaves that are perfect for any dinner table or for gifting! This makes incredible French toast as well as a ham sandwich that’s hard to beat.
from ourbestbites.com

Ingredients

• Ingredients:
• 3 3 105-110 cups warm water (about 105-110 degrees F)
• 1 1 1 cup honey
• 1 1 3 ounce bread machine yeast (4 .25-ounce packets, or just shy of 3 tablespoons)
• 2 2 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 3/4 3/4 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 1/4 1/4 cup high-quality kosher margarine (like Smart Balance), melted
• 4 4 4 eggs
• 11-13 11-13 11-13 cups bread flour
• EGG WASH
• 1 1 1 egg
• 2 2 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• OPTIONAL:
• Sesame seeds or poppy seeds for sprinkling on top

Preparation

Step 1

In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, combine the water, honey, and yeast. Allow to stand for 10 minutes. Add the salt, butter, margarine, and eggs and mix to combine. With the mixer running, add the flour, 1 cup at a time, until the dough is very soft (too soft to knead with your hands), is pulling away from the sides of the bowl, and barely sticks to your finger. Allow the mixer to knead the bread for 7 minutes, then let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into four equal parts* (or two if you want to make two giant loaves of challah). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray.

Take one of the portions of dough and divide it into thirds. Roll/stretch it into a rope about 15-18 inches long and repeat with the remaining 2 pieces. Lay the three ropes next to each other and braid the dough, tucking the ends under the loaf. Place the braid on the prepared pan and repeat with the remaining dough portions (you’ll have 2 braids per pan).

Cover the pans and allow to rise for 1-1 1/2 hours or until doubled.

While the dough is rising, whisk together the egg and vanilla. Preheat oven to 350. Before placing in the oven, brush the dough evenly with the egg wash. If desired, sprinkle with poppy seeds or sesame seeds. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and the loaf sounds slightly hollow when you tap on it. Remove from oven. Great for sandwiches, toast, snacking (with homemade freezer jam!), and gift-giving.

*This bread is a fantastic slightly-sweet multi-use bread–in addition to making challah (4 smaller loaves or 2 massive loaves), it makes amazing rolls (in a 9×13″ pan or in muffin tins), sweet roll dough, hot cross buns, smaller individual loaves, and white sandwich bread (in a loaf pan). You could braid it with cinnamon sugar and raisins, or add in herbs like rosemary. Just bake at 350 and kind of keep an eye on the brownness for time.

*This bread is a fantastic slightly-sweet multi-use bread–in addition to making challah (4 smaller loaves or 2 massive loaves), it makes amazing rolls (in a 9×13″ pan or in muffin tins), sweet roll dough, hot cross buns, smaller individual loaves, and white sandwich bread (in a loaf pan). Just bake at 350 and kind of keep an eye on the brownness for time.