Decadent Challah Bread

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Description

This recipe is for a decadent, rich Challah bread. No matter who I serve this to, everyone hails it the best Challah they’ve tasted. Makes 2 large loaves.

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup honey
  • 1 ¼ cups warm water
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • ⅔ cup olive oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 5 cups unbleached flour, plus more if needed
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar

Instructions

  1. Dissolve the honey in the water in a large mixing bowl
  2. and stir in the yeast. Set the mixture aside until the yeast forms a creamy layer on top
  3. about 15 minutes. Stir in the salt
  4. 2/3 cup of olive oil
  5. and beaten eggs. Add the flour 1 cup at a time until the dough is slightly tacky
  6. but not sticky wet.
  7. Turn it out onto a floured surface
  8. and knead until smooth and elastic
  9. about 10 minutes. Lightly oil a bowl
  10. place the dough in the bowl
  11. turn the dough over a few times to oil the surface
  12. then let rise until doubled in a warm
  13. draft-free place
  14. about 90 minutes.
  15. To make the loaves
  16. punch down the dough
  17. 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.
  18. To braid the first 4-strand loaf
  19. roll the 4 pieces of dough into thin ropes about the width of your thumb
  20. 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
  21. and fan the 4 ropes out so they don’t touch.
  22. To make an “under-2
  23. over-1 braid
  24. take the left-most rope
  25. and move it to the right to cross underneath the next 2 ropes
  26. then move it left to cross back over the strand immediately to its left. Take the far right strand
  27. 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
  28. and pinch the ends tightly together. Repeat the steps to braid the second loaf
  29. and let the braided loaves rise for 1 hour.
  30. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
  31. and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  32. Make a glaze by whisking together the milk
  33. 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  34. the egg white
  35. and the sugar in a bowl. Brush the braided loaves with the glaze
  36. to make a shiny crust
  37. and bake the loaves on the prepared baking sheets in the preheated oven until they are light golden brown
  38. about 30 minutes.

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 2 hrs 20 mins

Servings: 24

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