Elevated Challah Recipes

Steps:

• Combine the warm water, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and the yeast in a measuring cup. Let stand until the yeast dissolves and starts to foam, 5 to 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, beat 2 eggs. Put the egg yolks in a measuring cup and add enough milk to equal 1/3 cup with the yolks in it. Pour this in with the eggs and then stir in the yeast mixture, butter, salt and remaining sugar. Gradually mix in the flour until the dough is firm enough to handle. Knead the dough on a floured surface until the dough does not stick to your hands. You will probably use more flour while kneading. Place the dough into an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Cut the dough into 3 or 4 even portions and roll into long ropes. Braid and tuck the ends under. Place the loaf on a baking sheet and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place to rise. Bread is ready to bake when your finger leaves an impression in the dough.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Whisk the remaining egg in a cup with a fork. Brush onto the loaf. This will give the bread a lovely golden color and delicious crust.
• Bake until the loaf is golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 35 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.

Steps:

• Combine the warm water, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and the yeast in a measuring cup. Let stand until the yeast dissolves and starts to foam, 5 to 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, beat 2 eggs. Put the egg yolks in a 1/3 measuring cup and add enough milk to equal 1/3 cup with the yolks in it. Pour this into the bowl with the eggs and pour in the yeast mixture, butter, salt, and remaining (2 tablespoons + 2 1/2 tsp.) sugar. Gradually mix in the flour until the dough is firm enough to handle.
• Knead the dough on a floured surface until the dough does not stick to your hands. You will probably use more flour while kneading.
• Place the dough into an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Cut the dough into 3 even portions and roll into long ropes. Press one set of ends together, and braid and tuck the other set of ends under, pressing gently (see the intro, above, for a video link to braiding a six-strand challah).
• Place the loaf on a greased baking sheet and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place to rise. Bread is ready to bake when your finger leaves an impression in the dough.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Whisk the remaining egg in a small bowl. Brush onto the loaf. This will give the bread a lovely golden color and delicious crust.
• Bake until the loaf is golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 35 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.
• *To make rolls: Follow the steps to prepare the dough, and let it rise until it is doubled in size. Divide the dough into 15-16 even pieces (about 2 oz. [weight] each), and craft into desired shape. Brush with egg wash (as you would the bread), and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Steps:

• Combine the yeast, a pinch of the sugar and a couple tablespoons of lukewarm water in a small bowl. Stir to dissolve the yeast, then leave for 10 mins until foamy.
• Meanwhile, combine the flour, the remaining sugar and 3 tsp fine salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, then add half the beaten egg, the yeast mixture and the oil. Pour in 200ml lukewarm water (it should feel slightly warm to the touch) and stir with a spoon, then mix using one hand, keeping the other clean while you bring the dough together. If there are a lot of very dry bits, gradually add a little water to just bring it together - you don't want it to get too wet and sticky. The dough should be moist, but not soggy.
• Once the dough has come together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead using both hands for 10 mins until smooth and a bit springy. If it gets very sticky, add a very small amount of flour - as little as possible. A dough scraper is useful if the dough is sticking to the work surface. Stretch the sides of the dough down and pull together to form a ball. Lightly oil a bowl, then lightly roll the dough ball around the bowl so it's coated in the oil. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place for 1 hr, or until dough has doubled in size.
• Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide into three equal pieces, weighing for accuracy, if you like. Roll each piece into a long sausage shape about 25cm long, tapering them slightly at both ends. Lay the pieces out in front of you, parallel to one another with a couple centimetres between each. Bring the sausages together at the top end, then plait them down the length, tucking in the ends when you reach the bottom. Carefully transfer the loaf to the prepared baking sheet and loosely cover with a clean tea towel. Leave to rise until puffy and billowy, about 40 mins.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Gently brush the rest of the beaten egg all over the challah, getting it into all the crevices, and sprinkle with the poppy or sesame seeds, if using. Bake on a middle shelf of the oven for 25-30 mins, until the loaf is golden brown underneath and sounds hollow when tapped. Check after about 15 mins - if the top of the loaf has started to get too dark, cover it with foil. Leave to cool on a wire rack, then serve.

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:

• Combine the yeast, warm water, and the 1/2 teaspoon of sugar or honey. Let it stand until it is fully dissolved. It should divide (watching yeast grow is cool!) and look frothy.
• Add the oil, sugar, salt, and malt syrup. Since I use turbinado sugar or honey, I try to make sure the sugar is dissolved or the honey melted through before I add flour.
• Slowly add the flour (about one cup at a time) mixing well between each addition. Use your hands to mix it once it gets stiff, if you want. I like getting elbow deep when I make bread. In higher elevations, it takes seven cups of flour.
• The bread should feel smooth and velvety.
• Knead the dough for 6-8 minutes (in higher elevations, it definitely takes the full 8). The dough should be firm, but soft. When you poke at it, it slowly regains its shape, but is still dented.
• Shape the dough into a ball. Put it in a well greased bowl and cover it. I like to put the bowl in a plastic bag and then throw a towel over the top. Let it rise until doubled in bulk. This should be around 45 minutes.
• Again, for anyone else in higher elevations, we have to change it. This bread does better if you coat your hands in oil and lightly coat the top of the bread. Also, it takes more like an hour to rise.
• Punch the dough. Shape it however you like. The recipe calls for three balls placed in a 12x5 inch pan together, or side by side on a baking sheet. This bread works well for hamburger buns, meat pastie rolls, just about anything, so have fun!
• Just make sure to coat the pan with oil, or use parchment paper on a baking sheet.
• Let rise again until doubled. Same thing - cover the bowl in a plastic bag and a towel and let it be. This takes 45 minutes in higher elevations, probably closer to half an hour at lower elevations.
• Preheat oven to 375 f.
• Remove bread from the plastic and bake for 30-35 minutes.