Abby's Challah
By
Liz Soldwish-Zoole
@TanteLiz
16
I like a sweet, dense, rich challah - this is a combination of several different recipes I found on-line and tweaked until I had just what I wanted. This recipe makes one loaf.
Blue Ribbon Recipe
This is one of the best challah bread's we've ever tried. It's moist and soft in the center with the perfect crust. The dough has great elasticity and was easy to work with. It's a bit of a labor of love to make this, but the results are fantastic. The braiding in this recipe is unusual and creates a beautifully impressive bread. 
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 tsp
- active dry yeast (1packet)
- 2 tsp
- sugar
- 1/2 c
- very warm water
- 1/2 c
- liquid (I like orange or apple juice if using honey for the sweetener, coffee is good if using maple syrup)
- 1/4 c
- fat or oil (melted butter, olive oil, etc.)
- 1/4 c
- honey or other thick sweetening syrup (maple syrup, etc.)
- 3
- large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp
- kosher or sea salt
- 4-4 1/2 c
- bread flour (can sub in up to 2 cups whole wheat, if desired)
- 1/2 c
- raisins or other chopped dried fruit
- 1
- egg beaten with 1 tbsp water, brushed over surface of braided, unbaked challah before putting in the oven, OR
- 1/4 c
- mayonnaise rubbed over the surface of the braided, unbaked dough before putting in the oven, or
- 1 Tbsp
- sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or coarse salt to sprinkle on top
OPTIONAL
TOPPING OPTIONS
How to Make Abby's Challah
- 1First, proof your yeast. Dissolve the sugar in the warm water in your mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water.
- 2Within 5 minutes, it should be bubbly and frothy.
- 3Whisk the juice, oil or cooled melted butter, honey, eggs and salt into the yeast mixture. Add the raisins here, if desired.
- 4Add the flour 1 cup at a time, mixing with each addition.
- 5The dough will get thicker but will still be a little sticky when you're done.
- 6Turn out onto floured surface
- 7Knead 6-8 minutes, until elastic and smooth. Add flour to the surface very sparingly - better too sticky than too dry for this dough!
- 8Put your dough in an oiled bowl, cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap.
- 9Place in a warm place 1-2 hours to rise until doubled in size.
- 10Punch down, repeat.
- 11The second rise won't take as long.
- 12Turn your dough out onto a flat surface.
- 13With a sharp knife, cut into six equal pieces.
- 14With your hands, roll each piece into a strand about 14-15 inches long.
- 15Place 3 strands parallel to each other. With the other 3 strands, form a simple over-under-over lattice.
- 16You will now have a checkerboard lattice in the center and strands of dough coming out the sides a few inches.
- 17Braid each 3 strand set coming off the center until you run out of dough.
- 18Tuck the braid UNDER the lattice center.
- 19Carefully place in an oiled pie dish and let it rest for about 15 to 20 minutes.
- 20Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
- 21Before placing your challah in the oven, you may brush the surface with an egg beaten with a tablespoon of water using a pastry brush. This will give a dark, shiny, stiff crust. I prefer taking a big plop of mayonnaise in my hands and gently rubbing the surface of the dough - not shiny and pretty but yields a very tender crust.
- 22If desired, sprinkle with a tablespoon of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or a coarse salt.
- 23Bake 35-40 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool about 10 minutes, then gently turn out of the pie pan to cool on a rack.
