Honey Challah Bread With Currants Recipes

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:

• 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:

• In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs and half and half until frothy. Add the tarragon, some salt and pepper, and whisk together. Add the cubed challah and let it soak in the egg mixture for about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ham, peppers and spring onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the ham is a bit browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining butter and spread the ham and vegetables out evenly in the pan. Pour in the challah-egg mixture and let cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the frittata becomes light and fluffy, about 3 more minutes. Place the pan under the broiler until the top is browned, about 1 minute. Transfer the frittata to a plate and cut into wedges.
• Note: If you don't have a broiler, use a heat proof rubber spatula and carefully flip the frittata over, and cook for 1 minute. Or, melt a tablespoon of butter in a separate skillet until it sizzles. Pour the melted butter over the frittata and place the empty skillet over the frittata pan. Holding both handles, carefully flip the pans over, and cook the frittata on the other side for a minute.

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, sugar, and yeast together in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
• Whisk the water and honey with 1 whole egg, all the yolks, olive oil, and salt in a small bowl and pour into the well. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon to make a soft, shaggy, moist dough. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead by hand, adding up to 3/4 cup more flour as needed, until the dough is soft and supple, about 8 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball.
• Brush a large bowl with oil and turn dough around in bowl to coat lightly. Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel and set aside until dough doubles in size, about 1 hour. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead briefly to release excess air, re-shape into a ball and return to the bowl. Cover and set aside until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Line 2 baking sheet pans with parchment paper. Divide the dough in half. Lightly dust hands with flour and roll each portion of dough into a 30-inch-long log. (If dough resists, then cover and let rest for 5 or 10 minutes before shaping). Spiral each length of dough around itself to form a coiled round loaf on the prepared pans. Lightly stretch the end of the coil and moisten it with water; gently press the end into the side of the round to seal the coil into a loaf. Press down on the loaves gently, cover with a kitchen towel and set aside until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Beat the remaining egg with a tablespoon of water and brush loaves evenly with it; sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired. Put the loaves in the oven and immediately turn the oven down to 400 degrees, and bake until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the crown registers 190 degrees F, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix yeast, warm water and 1 cup of bread flour into a thin batter, and let stand until the mixture shows frothy bubbles, about 10 minutes. Stir in vegetable oil, honey, 3 eggs, and salt until well combined. Beat in 2 more cups of bread flour and the whole wheat flour, alternating flours by cupfuls, until the dough is too stiff to stir in more flour.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding more flour if needed to form a slightly sticky dough. Form the dough into a round shape. Lightly oil a bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn the dough over a few times to oil the surface. Cover the bowl with a plastic bag, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.
• Punch down the dough, knead it a few times to remove some of the bubbles, and cut it into 3 equal-sized pieces. Cut the first piece into 3 equal parts. Set the rest of the dough aside under a cloth to prevent drying out while you braid the first loaf.
• 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 other 2 loaves, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and let rise until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Beat 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of water in a small bowl, and brush the egg mixture over the braided challah loaves. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops are a deep golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 40 minutes. Cool on a rack before slicing.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup warm water with yeast. Let stand until yeast is dissolved and begins to bubble, about 5 minutes.
• Place the yeast mixture in your mixer (if you have one large enough for this recipe), or in a large bowl. Add the additional water, oats, honey, oil and salt. Mix well to combine.
• Gradually add in the flours, mixing/kneading well, until a soft dough is formed. Knead another 5 minutes, adding small quantities of flour, until the dough feels like an ear lobe.
• Place in a large, oiled bowl, turning dough to coat, and cover with a damp towel. Plase in a warm place and let rise until doubled in size, about one hour.
• Punch down the dough, divide into 6 pieces (or more ifyou are making rolls) and shape into loaves or braid or do whatever you do with your challah dough.
• Place on greased pans (I prefer using parchment paper, ungreased), and brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with seeds or extra oats.
• Bake at 350F for about 35 minutes for loaves, or 20+ minutes for rolls.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir the yeast into the water, and let the mixture stand until a creamy layer forms on top, about 10 minutes. Stir in honey and salt until dissolved, and add the beaten eggs. Mix in the flour, a cupful at a time, until the dough is sticky. Sprinkle the dough with flour, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 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 damp cloth, and let rise in a warm area until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough, and cut it into 3 equal-sized 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 braided loaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and brush the top with beaten egg yolk. (For a softer crust, brush with melted butter instead.)
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake the challah in the preheated oven until the top browns to a rich golden color and the loaf sounds hollow when you tap it with a spoon, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine water and margarine in a small saucepan. Heat until margarine is melted and very warm, but not boiling.
• In a large bowl, mix together 3 cups flour, white sugar, brown sugar, yeast and salt. Add water and margarine mixture; beat well. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into six equal pieces and form into long 'ropes'. Braid the pieces together to form two large loaves. Place the loaves on two lightly greased cookie sheets, cover the loaves with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Brush the risen loaves with the beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, until loaf sounds hollow when tapped.