Honeyed Challah And Apple Pudding Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or large gratin dish.
• On a rimmed baking sheet, spread bread in an even layer. Toast, tossing once or twice, until dried out and light golden, about 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat honey in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high and cook until it caramelizes, about 5 minutes - you'll be able to tell when it begins to brown and smells nutty.
• Remove from heat and stir in butter until it melts, then stir in apples, vanilla seeds and pod, and a pinch of salt. Return to medium-high heat, cover and cook, stirring frequently, until apples are soft and liquid has mostly evaporated, about 10 minutes. Transfer apples and any liquid to a large bowl.
• In a separate large bowl, whisk together half-and-half, milk, eggs and yolks, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Gently toss in bread and half the cooked apples (reserve the other half for later). Scrape into prepared baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 25 minutes.
• Remove foil, and spoon remaining apples on top in an even layer. Drizzle or scrape any reserved apple liquid all over the top, then top with almonds. Return to oven and bake, uncovered, until almonds are toasted and pudding is set but not dry, another 20 to 25 minutes.
• Cool for at least 15 minutes, then cut into squares and serve, preferably warm.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Toss bread with apples, nuts and raisins; place in 13x9-inch baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.
• Beat pudding mixes, 1 tsp. cinnamon and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Pour over bread mixture; sprinkle with remaining cinnamon.
• Bake 50 min. to 1 hour or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 min. before serving. Top with COOL WHIP.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 2 tablespoons butter in a 9-inch-square baking dish and place in the oven until the butter melts. When the butter has melted, remove the pan from the oven and use a brush to coat the bottom and sides evenly with the melted butter. Set aside.
• While the oven is preheating and the butter melting, heat the remaining butter in a heavy skillet, add the apples and sauté over high heat until they just begin to soften and take on color, about five minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Mix the milk, honey and vanilla together in a large bowl. Add the challah pieces and allow to soak about 10 minutes, until the milk is fairly well absorbed. Beat the eggs until frothy, mix them with the challah and add half the cinnamon and the sautéed apples.
• Transfer the mixture to baking dish. Mix the remaining cinnamon with the sugar and sprinkle over the top. Bake about 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the oil, sugar, salt, eggs and 4 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Divide each portion into thirds. Shape each piece into a 15-in. rope. , Place 3 ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour., Preheat oven to 350°. Beat egg and cold water; brush over braids. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds if desired. Bake until golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Steps:

• Butter a large bowl, and melt 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat; let cool. Combine 2 tablespoons melted butter, the flour, water, 1/3 cup honey, the eggs and yolks, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Mix until dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer dough to buttered bowl, and brush with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Cover with plastic. Let rise in a warm place until dough almost doubles in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Pat into an 8 1/2-by-14-inch rectangle. Top with apples; knead to incorporate. Return to bowl. Brush with remaining tablespoon melted butter; cover. Let rise again in a warm place until dough almost doubles in volume, about 1 hour more.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan. Roll dough into a rope (about 24 inches) on a floured surface. Coil into a circle, and transfer to pan. Butter plastic wrap, and cover dough. Let rise again until dough almost doubles in volume, about 45 minutes more.
• Heat remaining 4 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup honey in a saucepan over medium-low heat until butter melts. Brush dough with half the honey-butter. Bake until golden brown and firm, about 35 minutes.
• Brush challah with the remaining honey-butter. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Turn out loaf from pan, and let cool.