Cooking Recipe Challah
Recipe Ingredients
Directions
Add 1 Tablespoon sugar and yeast to warm water, stir well and "proof"
the yeast (I'm old-fashioned and still do this). After the yeast
proofs, add rest of the sugar, butter/margerine, 3 lightly beaten
eggs, and five cups flour. As your stir together, add salt (done
this way because salt can kill yeast if added directly). Beat
ingredients with a spoon, gradually adding flour, until dough is
stiff. Knead on board until dough is smooth and elastic (8-10mins).
Cover and let rise in warm place -- until about doubled in size
(1.5-2hrs).
Punch down and knead dough until all the bubbles are gone. Divide
into 6 parts, roll each part between your hands into a rope about 1"
in diameter. Braid 3 ropes each into 2 loaves. Place two braids about
6" apart on a buttered/margerined cookie sheet, and allow to raise in
a warm place until almost doubled in size. Brush tops with egg/water
wash and sprinkle lightly with poppy seeds. Bake in pre-heated 400ø
oven for 35-40 mins, or until loaves sound hollow when tapped. Cool
covered with a soft towel on racks.
Adapted from Beard on Bread by James Beard