Thursday, April 4, 2013

Challah (EGGceptionally EGGcellent- Year Four: Volume 1; April, 2013)


Prep time: 30 min
Rise time: 2 hours
Cook time: 30 min
Ready in: 3 hours
Serves: 6- 8

Ingredients: 
1 pkg. active dry yeast
3 T. sugar
1/3 c. warm (105- 110 degrees) water
1/3 c. cold water with ice cubes
3 c. (15 oz.) bread flour
1/4 c. vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. salt
Poppy or sesame seeds

Directions: 
- Blend 1 egg with 1/2 tsp. salt and set aside to glaze later
- Test warm water with a thermometer, stir in yeast and sugar until foamy
- Stir and set, takes approximately 10 min to proof
- Spray a large Ziploc bag, or mixing bowl and 1 side of a sheet of saran wrap big enough to cover the bowl, with cooking oil
- Mix flour, oil, 2 eggs, and 1 tsp. salt in food processor with dough blade
- Leave on and add yeast mixture through top opening
- Leave on and slowly add cold water 1 tsp at a time, you may not need 1/3c! 
- Add until the dough is a dough consistency, but do NOT let it be sticky
- If dough does get sticky (ie: you added too much water), add flour 1 T. at a time until correct consistency
- Process until bowl sides are clean
- Remove dough, test to see that it is very elastic; if not add more water incrementally until it is
- Place dough in bag or bowl, if bag, squeeze out all extra air
- Let rise somewhere warm, about 80 degrees, until doubled, about 1 hour
- OR, let it rise overnight in the fridge, which is equivalent of 1 hour in a warm place
- It’s done when it has about doubled in size
- Lightly flour a regular size cutting or bread board
- Dump dough onto board and punch it down
- Divide into 2 unequal portions, 1 about 9 oz., and one about 18 oz.
- Divide the larger portion into thirds
- Roll out and stretch each third into a 14" long rope
- Place ropes lengthwise on board, spaced 2" apart
- Braid
- Pinch ends tightly together and tuck under
- Transfer braid onto an oiled baking sheet
- Repeat steps with the 9 oz. strip, making ropes that are each 10" long
- Place the small braid onto the large braid, and gently pinch them together
- Spray saran wrap with cooking oil and cover braid
- Let rise somewhere warm, about 80 degrees, until doubled, about 1 hour
- Brush loaf with glaze
- Sprinkle loaf seeds of choice
- Bake for 10 min in an oven preheated to 400
- Reduce oven to 350, and bake until golden brown and it makes a hollow noise when knocked on from the underside, about 20 min
- Immediately remove from baking sheet and cool on a wire rack


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