Challah Sticks Recipes

Steps:

• Combine the heavy cream, milk, vanilla extract, sugar, cinnamon, ginger powder, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl.
• Whisk the eggs in a second large bowl and set aside.
• Cook the cream-and-vanilla mixture in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until the mixture is warm and begins to simmer, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Once the cream-and-vanilla mixture simmers, lower the heat and add a small ladleful to the large bowl with the beaten eggs. This will help to slowly bring up the temperature of the eggs so they will not scramble in the next step.
• Very slowly add the egg mixture to the cream-and-vanilla mixture, whisking continuously, and cook over low heat until the mixture is thick, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and set aside to cool.
• Cut the challah into long 1-inch-wide slices. Fully submerge the challah sticks in the creamy egg mixture.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until bubbling, about 2 minutes.
• Add a batch of the coated challah sticks and cook until the outside is golden brown and crisp, and the inside is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. You will need to watch and adjust the temperature between medium and medium-low if the bread is browning too quickly or not browning fast enough. Keep the finished French toast slices warm on a rack nested in a rimmed baking sheet in the oven. Repeat with the remaining slices, adding more butter as needed.
• Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup. Enjoy.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Cut bread lengthwise into 1/2" thich slices, then lay slices flat and cut into 1/2" wide lengths about 7" to 8" long.
• Lay on baking sheet lined with foil and brush the breas with butter.
• Mix all the other ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle carefully onto bread sticks and press slightly.
• Bake 7-8 minutes then turn over and bake for 4-5 minutes more.

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.

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast over the water in a large bowl, and stir gently to moisten the yeast. Stir in salt, sugar, margarine, and 4 eggs, and beat well. Gradually mix in the flour, 1 cup at a time, up to 12 cups, until the dough becomes slightly tacky but not wet. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Grease baking sheets, or line them with parchment paper and set aside.
• Cut the bread dough into 4 equal-sized pieces (or 2 pieces to make 2 large loaves). Cut each piece into thirds for 3-strand braided loaves. Working on a floured surface, roll the small dough pieces into ropes about the thickness of your thumb and about 12 inches long. Ropes should be fatter in the middle and thinner at the ends. Pinch 3 ropes together at the top and braid them. Starting with the strand to the right, move it to the left over the middle strand (that strand becomes the new middle strand.) Take the strand farthest to the left, and move it over the new middle strand. Continue braiding, alternating sides each time, until the loaf is braided, and pinch the ends together and fold them underneath for a neat look. Repeat for the remaining loaves.
• Place the loaves onto the prepared baking sheets, and let rise until double in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Whisk 1 egg with vanilla extract in a small bowl, and brush the loaves with the egg wash. Sprinkle each loaf with about 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops are shiny and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool before slicing.