Best Challah
https://smittenkitchen.com/2008/09/best-challah-egg-bread/
The secrets to good challah are simple: Use two coats of egg wash to get that laquer-like crust and don’t overbake it. Joan Nathan, who this recipe is adapted from, adds that three risings always makes for the tastiest loaves, even better if one of them is slowed down in the fridge.
Time: about 1 hour, plus 2 1/2 hours’ rising
Yield: 2 loaves (see below for 1 loaf recipe)
3 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (about 1 1/2 packages, 3/8 ounces or 11 grams)
1 tablespoon (13 grams) granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups warm water
1/2 cup (118 ml) olive or vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the bowl
5 large eggs (4 for dough, 1 for brushing on at end)
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon (14 grams) table salt
8 to 8 1/2 cups (1000 to 1063 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup raisins (about 70 grams) per challah, if using, plumped in hot water and drained
Poppy or sesame seeds for sprinkling.
***Set up kitchenaid far away from other stuff: flour does spray out at times!
1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon (13 grams) sugar in water; set aside for 5 minutes until a bit foamy.
2. Use KitchenAid mixer for these steps (it will be maximally full):
[use whisk]
- Whisk oil into yeast
- beat in 4 eggs, one at a time
- add 1/2 cup sugar and salt
[switch to paddle]
- Gradually add flour
When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading [switch to dough hook]
3. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour (ex warmed oven turned off), until almost doubled in size.
4. Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour.
5. At this point, you can knead the raisins into the challah, if you’re using them, before forming the loaves. Place braided loaves on a greased cookie sheet.
5. Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Either freeze breads or let rise another hour.
6. If baking immediately, preheat oven to 375 degrees and brush loaves again. Sprinkle bread with seeds, if using. If freezing, remove from freezer 5 hours before baking.
7. Bake in middle of oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. (If you have an instant read thermometer, you can take it out when it hits an internal temperature of 190 degrees.) Cool loaves on a rack.
Note: Any of the three risings can be done in the fridge for a few hours, for more deeply-developed flavor. When you’re ready to work with it again, bring it back to room temperature before moving onto the next step.
How to braid:
https://youtu.be/NtoouSLrURA
SAMPLE TIMING:
9am - yeast mixture
9:10am - mix ingredients
9:30am-10:30am rise #1
10:30am - punch down
10:30am-11am rise #2
11am - braid challah, brush with egg
11:30am-12:30pm rise #3
12:30pm - brush with egg, poppy seeds
12:30pm-1:15pm-ish - bake
HALF RECIPE (one loaf):
- 1.8 teaspoons active dry yeast
- .5 tablespoon granulated sugar
- .8 cups lukewarm water
- 1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the bowl
- 3 large eggs (2 for dough, 1 is for brushing on at end)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- .5 tablespoon table salt
- 4 to 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup raisins per challah, if using, plumped in hot water and drained
- Poppy or sesame seeds for sprinkling.
1. In a large bowl, dissolve half-packet yeast and .5 tbsp sugar in water; set aside for 5 minutes until a bit foamy.
2. Use KitchenAid mixer for these steps (it will be maximally full) . . .***set up kitchenaid away from other items: flour sprays out!***
[whisk]
Whisk oil into yeast
whisk in 2 eggs, one at a time
add1/4 cup sugar and salt
[switch to paddle]
Gradually add 4 cups flour
[switch to dough hook]
When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading.
3. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour (ex warmed oven turned off), until almost doubled in size.
4. Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour.
5. At this point, you can knead the raisins into the challah, if you’re using them, before forming the loaves. Place braided loaves on a greased cookie sheet.
5. Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Either freeze breads or let rise another hour.
6. If baking immediately, preheat oven to 375 degrees and brush loaves again. Sprinkle bread with seeds, if using. If freezing, remove from freezer 5 hours before baking.
7. Bake in middle of oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. (If you have an instant read thermometer, you can take it out when it hits an internal temperature of 190 degrees.) Cool loaves on a rack.
