Challah Bread

Ingredients

• 1 scant tablesppon (1 package) active dry yeast
• 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
• 3/4-1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 5 cups bread flower
• 3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• Poppy or sesame seeds for sprinkling
• Honey 

Directions

1. In a large bowl, disolve the yeast in warm water.
2. Add the sugar and oil and mix well.
3. Beat in 2 eggs, 1 at a time.
4. Then, gradually stir in the bread flower, 2 cups of all-purpose flour, honey, and salt.
5. Once the dough is holding together, it is ready for kneading. 
6. Keading:
1. To knead by hand, use the heels of your hands to press the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add the remaining all-purpose flour as needed.
2. To need by machine, use an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Knead for 5 minutes at medium speed or until smooth.
7. After kneading, place the dough in a large oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. You can use an oven that has been warmed up to 150 degrees for a few minutes and then turned off as a warm place.
8. When the dough is almost doubled in size, remove it from the bowl and punch it down. 
9. Then, return it to the bowl, cover it again, and let it rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
10. After this, it is time to braid the dough:
1. To make a 6-braided challah, take half of the dough and form 6 balls.
2. Roll each ball into a strand about 14 inches long and 1 1/2 inches long.
3. Pinch the strands together at one end and then gently spread them into 2 groups of 3.
4. Next, take the outside right strand over 2 to the middle empty space.
5. Then, take the second strand from the left to the far right.
6. Regroup to three on each side.
7. Take the left strand over 2 to the middle empty space and the second strand from the right over to the far left.
8. Continue this method until the strands are braided.
11. Take the other half of the dough and form into 12 tight balls. This is symbolic of the 12 shewbread that were placed on the alter in the Temple of Jerusalem.
12. Place the balls in the bottom of a greased 10- by 4-inch loag pan.
13. Place the braided dough on top of the dough at the bottom of the pan.
14. Let the challah loaf rise another hour, uncovered.
15. 15 minutes before putting the loaves in the oven, beat the remaining egg and brush it gently over the bread.
16. Sprinkle the poppy or sesame seeds onto the bread.
17. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake the loaf fro 10 minutes.
18. Then, reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake for 30 minutes more.
19. Finally, remove the bread from the oven and let it cool.

Prepared by Wesley Goldstein
Louisiana Anthology
July 15, 2022