The Recipe Box
Challah
Traditional Jewish Bread
I was five years old when I first learned how to make Challah. It was in preschool, every friday (my favorite day) the teachers would make the dough (in front of us), they would let it rise, and then later in the day they would each give us a piece to shape how we liked. I remember the smell of the bread when it came out of the oven, such a strong, sweet, smell. You know that feeling, where everything in the world is perfect and absolutely nothing is wrong at the moment? That's the feeling I continue to get each time I take the Challah out of the oven.
Ingredients
Please Note: Does not make 5 ponds, to make 5 pounds, triple the recipe.
- 1 cup of warm water
- 1/2 cup of oil
- 1 package of dry yeast
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 2 eggs (checked)
- 4 cups of flour
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 2 teaspoons of orange juice
- Cinnamon or egg yoke
- Poppy or sesame seeds (optional)
Directions
- Put 1/2 cup of water and place it in a bowl. Pour out the package of dry yeast into the water.
- Stir to dissolve, after completely dissolved, cover the bowl with a towel and place it aside.
- Put oil into the bowl of a mixer (if using one).
- Add the other 1/2 cup of water.
- Add the eggs and sugar.
- Turn the mixer on low speed (2-4) (using paddle attachment) and stir until combined together.
- Turn off the mixer and add the flour, salt, yeast mixture, and orange juice.
- Turn the mixer on medium speed (4-6) and stir until well combined.
- Turn off the mixer, and EITHER switch attachments to the dough hook, or kneed by hand. (I recommend kneading by hand.) Add flour as you need it.
- Keep kneading until the dough has a nice texture (could be sticky but not too sticky).
- Take a large bowl and spread some oil on the inside of it.
- Put the dough in the bowl and cover it with a towel.
- Let it rise (sit) for 1 hour.
- Come back to the dough and punch it down.
- Let it rise for another hour.
- Punch down the dough again, and then let it rise for 45 minuets.
- The dough should have doubled in size.
- Take the dough and braid it, or shape it as you like. (Challah bread is traditionally braided.)
- Add cinnamon on top, or brush the Challah with an egg yoke.
- Add poppy or sesame seeds if you wish.
- Put it in the oven at 350 for 34-45 minutes.
- Take it out and enjoy!!