My Favorite Challah
This is my favorite bread to eat with a dollop of butter, or cooked into french toast. It's also an incredible base for a BLT.
Equipment
- Large Sheet Pan
- Stand Mixer (optional)
- Pastry Brush
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Tbsp Active Dry Yeast
- 2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 2 Cups Lukewarm Water
- ½ Cup Vegetable Oil
- 6 Large Eggs Reserve One
- ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
- 8½ Cups Bread Flour
- 1 Tbsp Salt
Instructions
- Add two cups of water to a large mixing bowl, or bowl of a stand mixer.
- Dissolve yeast and 2T of sugar in the water.
- Let rest until yeast is bubbly, fragrant, and activated between 5-10 minutes.
- Add oil, 5 eggs, and sugar to the yeast mixture, and mix until combined.
- Add the flour.
- Add the salt.
- Mix to combine.
- Knead with a dough hook on low speed for 5 minutes in a stand mixer, or knead by hand for 10 minutes on a floured surface.
- Move kneaded dough to a large greased bowl, and cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel.
- Leave to rise for 1 hour.
- Punch dough down
- Let rise for 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough in half.
- Divide the halves into thirds.
- Roll each third into a long log, or snake about 18 to 20 inches long.
- Move the strands into groups of three, and create a simple braid (like you would braid hair)
- One braided, push down the ends, and tuck them slightly underneath the loaves.
- Place the loaves on the large sheet pan, with as much space between them as possible. The bread will increase in size about one inch on each side.
- Beat the reserved egg.
- Brush the beaten egg lightly over the loaves. And set the remainder of the egg aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F
- Cover again, and let loaves rise for one hour more.
- Brush the loaves with the remaining egg.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden and hollow sounding when tapped.
- Cool completely before slicing.