Braiding challah
Photo: Yaron Brener
And it's ready (illustration)
Photo: CD Bank
Traditional challah recipe
Get ready for Shabbat with some traditional braided bread
Ingredients
- 5 pounds flour
- 2 ounces fresh yeast and 1 package dry yeast
- 2 cups warm water
- 1 1/2 sticks margarine
- 2 1/3 cups boiling water
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 5 eggs
Glaze
- 1 egg, beaten
- Poppy or Sesame seeds
Method
Dissolve yeast in 2 cups warm water in a small bowl, until it bubbles. In a large bowl, place margarine and pour boiling water over it and stir until margarine is melted. Add salt and sugar. Let cool for a few minutes and beat in eggs. Add the bubbling yeast. Gradually add flour. Knead for 10 minutes. If dough is too moist add a little more flour.
When ready to rise, sear top of dough with oil, cover and let rise 1 hour. Separate a small portion of dough known as 'challah" from the whole dough. Shape and let rise another hour.
Brush with beaten egg to glaze. Sprinkle with seeds.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour for large challahs and 1/2 hour for smaller challahs and rolls.
Reprinted with permission from Shalom Life
