Double Braid Challah Bread With Sesame Seeds Recipes

Steps:

• Combine the yeast, warm water and 1/2 teaspoon sugar in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Set aside until slightly foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Mix the flour, salt and 2 tablespoons sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook on medium speed. Add 2 whole eggs, the egg yolk, honey, vegetable oil and yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Increase the speed to medium high and knead the dough until soft and smooth but slightly sticky, about 5 minutes (if the dough is too sticky, add 2 more tablespoons flour while kneading). Lightly coat a large bowl with vegetable oil. Put the dough in the bowl, gently turning to coat. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and set aside until nearly doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
• Transfer the dough to a clean surface and cut into quarters. Lightly dust the surface with flour, then roll each piece of dough into a 12-inch-long log, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and slightly tapered at the ends. Place the 4 logs side by side a few inches apart. Gather them together at the end farthest from you, pinching the ends together.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. To braid the dough, lift the log on the far right over the 2 middle logs. Then take the log on the far left and lift it over the 2 middle logs. Then cross the 2 middle logs over each other. Starting from the right, repeat the process until you reach the other end. Do not braid too tightly; you want the dough to maintain an even shape. Pinch the very ends of the loaf together and tuck underneath. Rock the loaf back and forth a few times to help tighten the braid. Carefully transfer the loaf to the baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside until slightly puffed, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Position a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 375˚ F. Beat the remaining egg and 1/2 teaspoon sugar with a whisk and brush it all over the dough (you will not need all of it). Sprinkle with the seeds. Bake until the bread is dark golden brown all over, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients except milk and sesame seeds in a large bowl. The dough will be quite sticky at this point.
• Turn out onto a liberally floured board and have additional flour close at hand. Knead, adding flour as it is absorbed, until the dough is no longer sticky and is smooth and elastic, 5-10 minutes.
• Oil a large bowl and place dough inside, turning to coat dough on all sides. Allow to rise 1-2 hours, or until at least doubled in size.
• Divide dough into three sections. Take a third of each of the original three sections and reserve (there will be two braids; a large one for the bottom, and a smaller one for the top).
• Grease a cookie sheet.
• Roll and stretch the three larger sections of dough into ropes a little shorter than the sheet. Cross the tops of the ropes over one another and braid. Tuck braid ends under.
• Repeat step 6 will smaller dough sections, except braid the ropes on top of the first, larger braid.
• Grease double-braid liberally and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise 1-2 hours, or until at least doubled in size.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• In a small bowl, combine milk and sesame seeds. Uncover double-braid. Use a pastry brush to brush mixture, or your hands to rub mixture, over double-braid.
• Bake bread 20-30 minutes, or until deep golden brown.

Steps:

• Mix the yeast, water, and sugar together in a large bowl, stir to dissolve the sugar, and let the mixture stand until a creamy layer forms on top, about 5 minutes. Stir in the oil, and sprinkle the yeast mixture with 2 tablespoons of salt, 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds, 2 tablespoons of dried onion, 1 tablespoon of dried garlic, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add the flour a cup at a time up to 6 cups, then add more by half-cups if needed to make an elastic but not sticky dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a compact round shape, and place in an oiled bowl. Turn the dough over several times in the bowl to oil the surface of the dough, cover the bowl with a cloth, and let rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the dough into 2 equal size pieces. To make 3-strand braided loaves, cut each piece into 3 pieces. 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. Place the loaves on the prepared baking sheets. Cover the loaves, and let them rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Mix sesame seeds, kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon of poppy seeds, 1/2 teaspoon of dried onion, and 1/2 teaspoon of dried garlic in a small bowl. Brush the loaves with beaten egg, and sprinkle with the seed mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the loaves are cooked through and golden brown, 45 to 60 minutes. Check for doneness after 45 minutes of baking time.

Steps:

• 1. Heat the milk in a small saucepan over low heat just until it's warm to the touch. Remove from the heat.
• 2. Dump the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add the yeast to the well along with a few drops of honey and 1/2 cup or so of the warm milk. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
• 3. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining milk and honey, the oil, and 3 of the eggs. Stir together. Add the salt and stir again. Gradually stir the liquid mixture into the flour, about 1/2 cup at a time. When the dough becomes sticky and difficult to stir, dump onto a floured surface and knead it by hand, adding a little more flour if necessary to keep it from sticking, until smooth and elastic.
• 4. Knead the dough into a ball. Slick another large bowl with oil, add the dough, and turn to slick the surface with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let stand in a warm place until double in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• 5. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Gently punch the dough down and turn it onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into four equal portions, working with one portion at a time and keeping the rest covered with a damp cloth. Divide one portion of dough into three equal pieces and roll each piece into a rope about 1 foot long and slightly tapered at the ends. Line the ropes side by side on one side of the baking sheet and braid them, pinching the ends to seal and tucking them underneath. Repeat this process with the remaining dough until you have four nicely braided loaves. Cover with a damp cloth and let stand until nearly double in size, another 25 minutes or so.
• 6. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• 7. Lightly beat the remaining egg and brush it over the tops of the challah loaves. Sprinkle with the nigella or sesame seeds. Bake the loaves until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Combine yeast with water and pinch of sugar and set aside.
• Combine flour, remaining sugar, salt and 2 eggs in large mixing bowl.
• Add yeast mixture and mix well.
• Dough will be moist and sticky.
• Knead until dough is smooth, about 10 minutes, adding flour or water as needed.
• Dough should still be moist.
• Return to bowl, sprinkle dough with flour, cover with towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Divide dough in half, place each half on lightly floured board and lightly knead into round loaves.
• Place on greased baking sheet, leaving space between loaves, as they will rise and expand when baking.
• Beat remaining egg.
• Brush loaves with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and completely baked inside, 20 to 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Place ingredients into bread machine according to manufacturers directions.
• Set on dough cycle.
• Place dough onto a lightly floured board and divide into three equal parts.
• Stretch or roll each part into 9" ropes and braid.
• Place on greased cookie sheet, cover and let rise for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Mix together one egg yolk and a tablespoon of water and brush over bread, then sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, if desired.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool on wire rack.