Bat Shevas Sephardic Challah Recipes

Steps:

• If using, cover raisins in 2 cups/500 milliliters warm water and let plump for 30 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
• In a skillet, toast 1 tablespoon sesame, the caraway and the anise or other seeds over moderate heat until fragrant, 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
• In a small bowl, combine yeast with 2 tablespoons warm water (you can use the soaking water from the raisins if handy). Let stand until thoroughly moistened, about 5 minutes.
• In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine flour with olive oil, honey, eggs (if using) and warm water (3/4 cup/180 milliliters if using eggs; 1 1/2 cups/360 milliliters if not).
• Mix at low speed until a very soft dough forms. If it is stiff, add warm water a tablespoon at a time. Add salt, yeast mixture and toasted seeds and mix at medium-low speed until the dough is supple and smooth, 10 minutes. Mix in raisins. Using oiled hands, transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a draft-free spot until the dough is doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Lightly oil 2 small cookie sheets and dust them with cornmeal. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and press to deflate. Cut the dough in half and let rest for 5 minutes. Roll each piece into an 18-inch-long rope and let rest for 5 minutes longer, then roll each rope into a 32-inch rope. Take 1 of the ropes and, starting from 1 end, form the dough into a coil; tuck the ends under the completed coil. Repeat with the remaining rope.
• Transfer each coil to a baking sheet and cover each loaf with a large inverted bowl. Let stand for 1 hour, until the loaves have nearly doubled in bulk. (The risen loaves can be frozen, wrapped, for up to 2 weeks; top and bake just before serving.)
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the egg wash over the loaves and let stand uncovered for 30 minutes. Brush with the egg wash once more and sprinkle with the reserved sesame seeds. Bake the loaves side-by-side in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, until they're golden and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Transfer the loaves to racks and let cool before serving or slicing.

Steps:

• Make a sponge: Place the tepid water, whole-wheat flour and yeast in a large mixing bowl or in a bowl that attaches to a mixer. Stir this mixture together or do like we do and use your hands and really get in there and mush it together. Cover the mixture and allow it sit in a warm place for 30 minutes.
• Add the rest of the ingredients adding only enough flour until the mixture is not wet and sticky. You many not need the entire 4 cups of flour. Knead the dough for 5 minutes until the dough is supple and smooth. Cover and let it rest for at least one hour or store the dough wrapped tightly over night in the refrigerator.
• Shape the dough into your favorite loaf. Place the loaves on a lightly greases sheet pan. Cover with a clean towel and let rise for two hours.
• Whisk together yolks and water, brush the loaves with the egg wash, sprinkle with seeds if using, and bake in a preheated 350°F oven until the challot are browned and make a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom (about 30-45 minutes).
• Let the challot sit for at least one hour before cutting it. The baking process continues for 20 minutes after the bread is removed from the oven. Steam continues cooking the bread and making it dense and moist. Cutting the crust would allow the steam to escape.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water.
• Whisk oil into yeast, then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, with remaining sugar and salt. Gradually add flour. When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading. (You can also use a mixer with a dough hook for both mixing and kneading.)
• 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, until almost doubled in size. Dough may also rise in an oven that has been warmed to 150 degrees then turned off. Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour.
• To make a 6-braid challah, either straight or circular, take half the dough and form it into 6 balls. With your hands, roll each ball into a strand about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Place the 6 in a row, parallel to one another. Pinch the tops of the strands together. Move the outside right strand over 2 strands. Then take the second strand from the left and move it to the far right. Take the outside left strand and move it over 2. Move second strand from the right over to the far left. Start over with the outside right strand. Continue this until all strands are braided. For a straight loaf, tuck ends underneath. For a circular loaf, twist into a circle, pinching ends together. Make a second loaf the same way. Place braided loaves on a greased cookie sheet with at least 2 inches in between.
• Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Either freeze breads or let rise another hour.
• If baking immediately, preheat oven to 375 degrees and brush loaves again. If freezing, remove from freezer 5 hours before baking. Then dip your index finger in the egg wash, then into poppy or sesame seeds and then onto a mound of bread. Continue until bread is decorated with seeds.
• Bake in middle of oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden. Cool loaves on a rack.