Challa

Title:
Challa

Yield:
2 Servings

Categories:
Bread,
Jewish




Ingredients:





 2 1/2 c  Water, tepid (about 110 f)


     3 ts Salt


     3 tb Sugar


     3    Quick-rising dry yeast,


          - envelopes


     3    Eggs, beaten - at room temp


   1/2 c  Vegetable oil


     3 lb Unbleached white flour


          Cornmeal, for baking





----------------------------------EGG
WASH----------------------------------


     2    Egg yolks


     1 tb Water



----------------------------------GARNISH----------------------------------


     1 tb Sesame seeds





     Place the water, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric


 mixer (KitchenAid K5A2 model works best). Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add


 the yeast and stir to dissolve. Stir in the beaten eggs and the oil. Beat


 in 5 cups of the weighed-out flour to make a batter. Beat for 5 minutes or


 until the batter begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Knead in


 the remaining flour by machine until smooth. Place the dough on a clean


 countertop and cover it with a large metal bowl. Allow the dough to rise


 until double in bulk.


     Punch the dough down and allow it to rise again. Punch the dough down


 again and divide it in half. Cut each half into thirds. Roll 3 of the


 pieces into ropes about 16 inches long with your hands. Join 1 end of each


 rope and press together with the heel of your hand. Alternately, braid the


 3 ropse together and press the other 3 ends together with the heel of your


 hand..


     Sprinkle a large baking sheet with a little of the cornmeal. Place the


 braided dough on the sheet pan and allow it to double in bulk again. Repeat


 the process with the remaining dough. Allow the dough to rise until double


 in bulk.


     Beat the 2 egg yolks and 1 tablespoon of water together for the egg


 wash. Lightly brush both risen braided doughs. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.


     Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until loaves are


 deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottoms with your


 finger. Remove to a cooling rack. Source: Whole Family Cookbook


 


 From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini