Cyndi's Challah
5 t. yeast
2 c warm water or warm milk
3 large eggs or 4 egg yolks
1/4 c. demarera sugar
2 t. salt
3 T. organic virgin coconut oil or butter
7-8 c unbleached white flour or bread flour
Optional Ingredients:
1 t. vanilla or rum
egg wash - 1 egg white beaten with 1T water
sesame or poppy seeds, optional
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the eggs, sugar, salt and oil and about 3 1/2 c. of the flour. With a wooden spoon, mix well and beat vigorously for a few minutes until smooth and elastic. Add the remaining flour about a cup at a time until it's too hard to mix with the spoon and turn out onto a floured surface to knead in the rest of the flour. Use as little flour as possible for a delicate Challah. It should be velvety soft and may even be slightly sticky. Knead for 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled -- this could take as little as a half an hour in a warm place or up to 2 hours if it's colder. After the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and let it rise again, if desired. I only let it rise once. After it is punched down, turn it out onto a clean counter, divide the dough in half, cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then shape the two portions into twisted or braided loaves. Place on greased cookie sheets, loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise again until nearly doubled. Brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with optional seeds, if desired. I usually skip the egg wash and lightly mist the braids with a spray bottle just before placing them in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown. (You can test them with a meat thermometer toward the bottom of the loaf; it should be 190 degrees.) The braids can be brushed with melted butter for a soft crust.
Serve warm or cool.
This dough can be made into regular loaves or rolls.
5 t. yeast
2 c warm water or warm milk
3 large eggs or 4 egg yolks
1/4 c. demarera sugar
2 t. salt
3 T. organic virgin coconut oil or butter
7-8 c unbleached white flour or bread flour
Optional Ingredients:
1 t. vanilla or rum
egg wash - 1 egg white beaten with 1T water
sesame or poppy seeds, optional
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the eggs, sugar, salt and oil and about 3 1/2 c. of the flour. With a wooden spoon, mix well and beat vigorously for a few minutes until smooth and elastic. Add the remaining flour about a cup at a time until it's too hard to mix with the spoon and turn out onto a floured surface to knead in the rest of the flour. Use as little flour as possible for a delicate Challah. It should be velvety soft and may even be slightly sticky. Knead for 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled -- this could take as little as a half an hour in a warm place or up to 2 hours if it's colder. After the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and let it rise again, if desired. I only let it rise once. After it is punched down, turn it out onto a clean counter, divide the dough in half, cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then shape the two portions into twisted or braided loaves. Place on greased cookie sheets, loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise again until nearly doubled. Brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with optional seeds, if desired. I usually skip the egg wash and lightly mist the braids with a spray bottle just before placing them in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown. (You can test them with a meat thermometer toward the bottom of the loaf; it should be 190 degrees.) The braids can be brushed with melted butter for a soft crust.
Serve warm or cool.
This dough can be made into regular loaves or rolls.
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