Challah
This classic yeasted bread is often braided and brushed with an egg wash before baking. It's a versatile bread that can be enjoyed plain, with butter, or as a sandwich bread.
This classic yeasted bread is often braided and brushed with an egg wash before baking. It's a versatile bread that can be enjoyed plain, with butter, or as a sandwich bread.
- Carbohydrate 6.62647729355978 g
- Cholesterol 0.49 mg
- Fat 1.90231463554207 g
- Fiber 2.14624306782696 g
- Protein 1.14007050078597 g
- Saturated Fat 0.319627406335376 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (27g)
- Sodium 16.4185975785387 mg
- Sugar 4.48023422573282 g
- Trans Fat 0.196079627505513 g
- Calories 42 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over barely warm water. Beat in honey, oil, 2 eggs, and salt. Add the flour one cup at a time, beating after each addition, graduating to kneading with hands as dough thickens. Knead until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky, adding flour as needed. Cover with a damp clean cloth and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until dough has doubled in bulk.
- Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto floured board. Divide in half and knead each half for five minutes or so, adding flour as needed to keep from getting sticky. Divide each half into thirds and roll into long snake about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Pinch the ends of the three snakes together firmly and braid from middle. Either leave as braid or form into a round braided loaf by bringing ends together, curving braid into a circle, pinch ends together. Grease two baking trays and place finished braid or round on each. Cover with towel and let rise about one hour.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Beat the remaining egg and brush a generous amount over each braid. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired.
- Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 40 minutes. Bread should have a nice hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Cool on a rack for at least one hour before slicing.
Stretching pantry staples like unbleached all-purpose flour, honey, and vegetable oil into an impressive enriched loaf requires zero specialty ingredients. Keeping costs minimal starts with understanding how liquid sweeteners affect dough development. Honey provides both fermentable sugar for the active dry yeast and moisture that keeps the crumb tender. If honey runs out, substitute it with standard white granulated sugar at a direct one-to-one volumetric ratio without altering the liquid balance of the recipe.
Managing Flour Absorption and Gluten Development
Adding eight cups of flour demands patience to avoid a dense, heavy loaf. Incorporating the flour one cup at a time prevents dry pockets and allows the gluten network to form evenly under manual kneading. Knead the mass until it reaches a smooth and elastic texture that no longer sticks to the work surface. The water temperature must remain around 110 degrees Fahrenheit to activate the yeast without killing the living organisms. Monitor the initial proofing phase closely; the dough needs roughly 90 minutes in a draft-free environment to double in bulk before shaping.
Baking Metrics and Freezing Performance
Baking occurs at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 40 minutes, creating a deep golden exterior crust. Assess internal doneness by thumping the bottom of the loaf to listen for a hollow sound. Once baked, this enriched bread handles freezing exceptionally well. Wrap cooled loaves tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil for storage up to three months. Thaw frozen bread at room temperature for two hours before refreshing it in a 350-degree oven for ten minutes.
