Sweet Challah Recipes

Steps:

• 1. Note: I used a stand mixer for this recipe but it can easily be done by hand or with a hand mixer) Start by letting your mixing bowl get warm by running it under hot water for a minute and then drying it off before adding anything to it.
• 2. Dump the cup of hot water, 1/3 cup sugar, and 2 yeast packets into the bowl and mix it up by hand and let it sit in a warm place for 10 minutes until foamy. (This activates the yeast)
• 3. In another bowl, mix the 2 whole eggs and the 2 egg yolks with the salt and honey until incorporated and let it sit while the yeast gets going. Save the egg whites for the egg wash.
• 4. After 10 minutes, add the melted butter to the yeast mixture and stir by hand. Then add the honey/egg mixture and give it a good stir by hand until you feel no honey stuck to the bottom of the bowl.
• 5. This is where the stand mixer comes in handy. Attach the bowl to the stand and add in 1 cup of bread flour and stir on medium/low with the paddle attachment until smooth-ish. Repeat with 1 cup of all purpose flour, again with read flour, and one more time with all purpose flour.
• 6. After all the flour has been mixed in, scrape the bowl with a spatula and le it go on medium for about a minute. It should be sticky and the dough should be loose and feathery. If it's still too runny (depending on climate)add in 1/4 cup more all purpose flour and mix one more time and you should be good to go.
• 7. Microwave a large glass mixing bowl and coat completely with vegetable oil- then add in the dough and toss it around a couple times until it's also coated with oil. Loosely cover with a piece of plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm, draft free place. I like to use a lightly warmed oven. (I'll turn it on the warm setting for a few minutes and then turn it off before putting the bowl in there.)Now just let the dough sit in there for 1 hour, no less.
• 8. Then take it out, punch it down and dump onto a clean, floured work surface to braid.I like to toss it in the flour a little to make it a little less sticky before attempting to braid, it makes a smaller mess. after getting it nicely coated with flour, cut into 3 equal pieces for one loaf, or 6 equal pieces for 2 loaves. Then roll out to about a 2 inch diameter and braid each. Once braided, pinch and tuck the ends under to make it pretty.
• 9. Now put it onto whatever pan you're using to make it. a half sheet pan works nicely for a full loaf or baking both small loaves at once. Put a piece of parchment paper on the pan (very necessary, trust me)and put the bread in the middle. Put it back in the oven for another 45 minutes to an hour to rise.
• 10. Remove the bread and heat the oven to 350. Once heated, bake the bread on the middle/top rack. Here's a little trick of mine. The bread bakes for 30 minutes total, however I do not apply the egg wash until it has baked for 10-12 minutes. This keeps it from getting it too brown. Another thing I do it right when it hits the color I want (which is at about 20 minutes) I rotate the pan and cover loosely with a foil tent. This stops the browning but allows the bread to remain nice and shiny and beautiful. After 30 minutes, take it out and remove it from the pan, but leave it on the parchment paper for 10 minutes before you tear, slice or anything. It keeps the bread more moist. Enjoy!! It also makes AMAZING french toast, garlic bread, whatever :)

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, stir together the water, honey and yeast.
• Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Stir in 1 cup bread flour, and cover with a towel.
• let stand for 30 minutes.
• Stir in the olive oil, whole egg, and egg yolks until very well mixed.
• Add the salt, sugar, and the rest of the flour.
• You should have a sticky dough Pour dough out onto a well floured surface and knead, adding flour as you need it, for 10 minutes.
• Place dough in a large greased mixing bowl and let rise for 1 hour.
• Place dough in the refrigerater and let rise over night or at least 6 hours.
• Turn dough out on a corn mealed surface and cut it into two proportional pieces.
• Cut and braid the two dough balls, place in two loaf pans or form the Jewish circle with them.
• Let dough rise for 1 hour and preheat your oven to 375F.
• Beat 1 egg with the tablespoon of water and brush the doughs with the egg wash TWICE.
• Sprinkle with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or cinnamon sugar, optional.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, you may have to cover the breads with foil to stop them from browning to much after 15 or 20 minutes.
• Remove the breads from the oven and either place them in plastic bags to get a soft crust or place them on wire racks until cooled completely before storing for a crisp crust (I personally don't wait for either and just eat it right out of the oven).
• Serving Sugestions: Make grilled sandwiches with breads, baked beans, bread pudding, thick beef stew, olive oil with herbs and black pepper, good old fashion butter.
• **Ifyou would like a cheesey challah bread, just sprinkle on your favorite cheese in the last 2 minutes of baking ENJOY!

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in 1 cup warm water. Separate two eggs; refrigerate two egg whites. Place remaining egg yolks and eggs in a large bowl. Add 2/3 cup honey, oil, salt, yeast mixture, 3 cups flour and remaining warm water; beat on medium speed 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky)., Pour boiling water over raisins in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Knead in raisins. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 1-1/2 hours., Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Divide one portion into six pieces. Roll each into a 16-in. rope. Place ropes parallel on a greased baking sheet; pinch ropes together at the top. , To braid, take the rope on the right and carry it over the two ropes beside it, then slip it under the middle rope and carry it over the last two ropes. Lay the rope down parallel to the other ropes; it is now on the far left side. Repeat these steps until you reach the end. As the braid moves to the left, you can pick up the loaf and re-center it on your work surface as needed. Pinch ends to seal and tuck under. For a fuller loaf, using your hands, push the ends of the loaf closer together. Repeat process with remaining dough. Cover with kitchen towels; let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, whisk remaining egg whites and honey with water; brush over loaves. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pans to a wire rack to cool.

Steps:

• 1. In cup or small bowl dissolve Yeast in the warm water with approx 1 tablespoon of sugar. After just a few minutes the yeast should begin to "bloom". It will become foamy and it will give off a sweet smell. If your yeast is not fresh this will not happen - do not go any further - start over with fresh yeast. 2. In a large bowl mix Egg Yolks, Eggs, Oil, remaining Sugar, Salt and Yeast mixture. 3. Add enough flour to form stiff but sticky dough (you can do this in a stand mixer - using the dough hook attachment). 4. Then turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (adding more flour if needed) - about 6 minutes - work in raisins as kneading. 5. Form a ball and place in a greased bowl and turn dough so all sides are greased. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and place in warm area to double in bulk - about two hours. 6. Punch down and knead briefly. 7. Roll dough into a 24" long rope. Create a spiral round loaf. (Sometimes I divide the dough into three parts, then I make three smaller ropes and braid them - then I form a circle from with the braid). 8. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment. 9. Brush loaf with beaten egg yolk, sprinkle top with poppy seeds (if desired), and allow too rise until dough doubles in size - about 45 minutes. 10. Bake until golden brown in a pre-heated 375 degree oven - 35 to 40 minutes. 11. Allow to cool before slicing and enjoy!

Steps:

• Proof the yeast: Place the 1/2 cup warm water, yeast, 1 tbl sugar in a large glass measuring cup or bowl. Set aside until yeast gets bubbly.
• In a separate bowl, combine the 2 cups sugar, boiling water, salt, and oil.
• Crack eggs into large bowl (or your mixer bowl). Add proofed yeast, mix again. Add the sugar/water mixture. Mix thoroughly.
• Add the flour in batches, incorporating well each time.
• Knead dough for 10-15 minutes, adding flour as needed until you get that earlobe texture.
• Place dough in a large bowl (greased), cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, punching down in the interim.
• Turn out dough onto floured surface. Separate the piece of dough with the blessing if you make it.
• Divide dough into 6-7 pieces, and shape into challah according to your favorite style. (You can braid three strands, four strands, six strands -- whatever!).
• (At this point you can freeze some of the shaped challot to bake later on.).
• Let rise another 30 minutes or so.
• Brush each loaf with beaten egg. Sprinkle with seeds.
• Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

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.