Challah is one of my favorite breads. A few weeks ago I was reading a story with my students and it had a Challah recipe in it. It had been years since I made this beautiful braided bread, and my old recipe was nowhere to be found. So of course I used the one from the story and modified as I went.
Ingredients:
6 1/2 tsp. dry yeast, 2 teaspoons fresh ground sea salt, 4 eggs, 6 Tbsp. butter, hot water, 7 c. flour, 1/2 c. sugar, 2 egg yolks. poppy seeds, sesame seeds
Directions:
In a large bowl, mix together 1 c. flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Place butter in a large measuring cup and add hot water until contents reach 2 cup mark. Pour water, butter and eggs into bowl. Slowly stir in remaining flour. Knead dough on a floured surface for 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a moist towel. Place bowl somewhere warm (I give mine a hot water bath). Let rise for an hour or until doubled in size. Punch dough down and briefly knead. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Cut each part into 6 pieces. Roll 6 pieces into long ropes. Pinch together strands at top and weave the stands together. Starting with the strand on the right, cross over two, under one, over two. Repeat with the new strand on the right. Place on pan and repeat with remaining loaves. Beat egg yolks and 2 tsp. cold water and brush on tops of loaves. Sprinkle loaves with poppy seeds and sesame seeds (I make two without, 1 with poppy and 1 with sesame). Let loaves rise in warm area for 45 minutes. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. Enjoy your delicious warm Challah!
Four yeasty loaves of bread later, I’m in heaven!
What is your favorite type of bread?
This is my favorite bread.
🙂
I’m in awe of your braiding!
Thank Greg, you have some great braiding skills too. Just pretend your dough strands are garlic stems.
They look so beautiful!
Thank you!
How beautiful! Look absolutely perfect. I was just thinking of checking out this new place called Challah Fairy this weekend and this made me that much more hungry for challah.
Thanks, I’m quite proud of them. You’ll have to let me know how the Challah Fairy is!
Very impressive! I’ve tried to make Challah and my braiding didn’t even remotely resemble your beautiful loaves. You’ve inspire me to try again. Maybe this time …
You’ll get it, keep practicing. The 6 strand method is actually really easy!
That challah looks perfect!
Thanks Elle!
yum! that bread looks and sounds delish!
Oh, it is!
That braid is beautiful! You continue to amaze me!
Thanks Wifey!
You are an artist
Haha, thanks! & welcome!
Awesome- it’s beautiful! Hope you ate tons for me!!!
Thanks! Oh, I did!!
Beautiful! It reminds me of my mother’s challah.
Thanks! That’s super sweet!!!
Oh my, you are so talented!! I wonder if I would be able to pull this off… 🙂
Thanks, this was my first try with a 6 strand braid. It was really easy! Welcome to my blog!
Have the ones in the photographs been made by you? They seem so perfect and brilliant! 🙂 You really got talent with that, amazing.
However, are there other ways of making this bread? I mean, you can add other kind of ingredients in order to obtain different flavours?
See you 😉
Thanks Javi! I believe that Challah does not traditionally have other mix ins. The sky is the limit, creativity can take you anywhere!
Gorgeous bread! I’m so impressed with your braiding. Awesome job. x
Thanks Caroline! You’re sweet! 🙂
Reblogged this on Caroline's Plate and commented:
This is my favorite bread ever!
Fantastic! Thanks for the love!!!