Rich Challah Braided Egg Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1/2 cup water in bowl of mixer. Sprinkle yeast over water and mix,let stand 10 minutes until foamy.
• Add the next 6 ingredients to mixing bowl. Mix with dough hook for 6 minutes. Dough should be a little sticky.
• Place in oiled bowl, cover and let rise in warm place until double in bulk.
• Punch down dough. Let rise again until double in bulk.
• Punch down again. Divide dough into 3 equal parts.
• Roll dough into three long strands. Braid the strands, tucking ends under. Cover with towel and let double in bulk.
• Brush with beaten egg yolk. Sprinkle with seeds. Bake at 400 F for approximately 30 minutes, until golden brown. The challah is done when it sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom.

Steps:

• For the sponge starter: Add the sugar and yeast to the warm water. Mix to dissolve. Add about 1/2 cup of the bread flour and mix vigorously with a wire whisk. The mixture should look like a thick pancake batter. Cover with plastic or a plate and leave to ferment in a warm room temperature place for about an hour. This sponge will give the challah a rich flavor and will extend its shelf life.
• Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups bread flour, the semolina flour and salt into a mixer bowl. Add the sponge starter, oil, honey, yolks and egg. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until the ingredients seem to come together. Then switch to medium speed and knead to develop the gluten, 5 to 7 minutes. The dough should be smooth and satiny, and have a nice stretch.
• Shape the dough into a ball and place it back in the mixer bowl. Sprinkle a bit of olive oil and turn the dough so it's lightly coated. Cover with plastic or a plate and let rise in a warm area until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. To test, lightly poke a finger in the dough. It should be relaxed and not pull back to shape immediately.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and fold it over upon itself few times to redistribute the yeast. If using, sprinkle the raisins onto the dough and press them into it.
• Divide into desired number of braids (3, 4 or 6) and roll each braid to elongate. Braid the strands to a long loaf or a round shape and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Brush the braided loaf with the egg wash and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F as the challah rises.
• Reapply the egg wash and, if using, sprinkle the seeds before placing the tray with the challah in the oven. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes. The challah will develop a deep brown and shiny crust, and will sound hollow when tapped on the underside. Cool on a rack.

Steps:

• In bread machine add to bread pan in order suggested by manufacturer, select dough setting, press start.
• After beep, remove risen dough and follow directions on how to shape and bake below.
• In Kitchen-aid stand mixer or like devise mix dry ingredients in bowl and turn on low speed to incorporate.
• Add eggs one at a time, allow to mix in before adding next one, then add oil.
• Turn mixer up to next speed (2 on Kitchen-aid), add milk in a slow stream, knead until soft, smooth, and warm, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Grease a bowl and place dough in bowl turning to coat.
• Allow to rest and rise until double in size.
• ***Shaping and baking***.
• Punch down and turn out risen dough onto a lightly oiled surface, let rest 5 minutes, punching dough down gets it all excited, it needs to sit and relax.
• Shape dough into a log and cut off 1/3; set aside.
• Cut remaining dough into 3 pieces and roll into 18 inch ropes, start braid from middle and braid to one end, pinch together and tuck under, repeat with other side.
• Cut set aside dough into 3 pieces and roll out to 13-15 inches long, repeat braiding method and place smaller braid on top of larger braid.
• Grease a large 1/2 sheet baking sheet and place finished braid sideways from corner to corner.
• Allow to rise until almost double, mix glaze ingredients and brush loaf gently.
• Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 35-45 minutes, cover loosely with foil 15-20 minutes into baking to avoid over browning.

Steps:

• Mix together 2 1/2 cups flour with the sugar (honey), salt and yeast.
• There is no need to dissolve the yeast first.
• Add the water and oil.
• Mix in 4 eggs.
• Beat in another 1 1/2 cups of flour very well.
• Add 4-5 cups of flour, until a very soft dough is formed.
• Knead for about 10 minutes.
• If using the dough hook, knead for about 7 minutes.
• Let rise for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
• Alternately, let rise in the refrigerator overnight and then let warm to room temperature for about 1 or 2 hours.
• Decide how many challahs you want, how many strands you want to braid in each.
• Make a dough ball for each strand; roll them into ropes and braid.
• Let rise covered for 1/2-1 hour.
• Beat the remaining egg and brush on the challah.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 325 F (150 C) for 30 minutes.
• Apply egg wash once more and bake for another 30 minutes at 350 F (175 C).
• This dough is enough for 4 medium sized challahs.
• You can really let your imagination run rampant here, making intricate braids, placing the braids in a loaf pan, even then winding them into a circle.
• You can add about 1/4 cup of raisins to the dough, but we leave them out.

Steps:

• Warm the milk and margarine until about 120F.
• Blend the liquid, 1 1/2 Cups flour, sugar, salt, yeast and eggs until moistened.
• Beat for 2 minutes. (This is easier if you have an electric mixer.).
• By hand, stir in flour until you have a stiff dough. (Don't worry if you haven't used all the flour, you will add more during the kneading process.).
• Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic. This will take about 5 minutes.
• Grease a bowl, place the dough in it and turn the greased side up.
• Cover and let rise until doubled. this will take 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Please be patient.
• Grease a cookie sheet.
• Punch down the dough and divide it into four equal parts. (Yes, four.).
• Shape each part into a strip about 20 inches long. You can roll the dough in your hands like you used to do with plasticine.
• Place the 4 strips side by side on the prepared cookie sheet. Yes, one end will extend over the ends of the sheet. Pinch the 4 strips together at one end.
• Now, braid the strips by weaving the far right strip over and under the next strips to the far left. Weave the next far right strip. Continue until you braid all the pieces.
• Then, pinch the ends together to seal.
• Cover and let the loaf rise until doubled in size. This will take up to an hour.
• You can make the loaf look really special by brushing it, before baking, with a beaten egg or egg yolk. Please take care to not let the egg drip on the cookie sheet.
• If you have sesame or poppy seeds you can sprinkle them liberally on the loaf.
• Place the loaf in an oven heated to 375°F.
• Bake about 35 minutes or until golden brown. It will sound hollow when lightly tapped.
• Slide off the cookie sheet to a rack and let it cool.

Steps:

• Bread Machine method: Have liquids ingredients at 80 degrees and all others at room temperature.
• Place in pan basket in order listed.
• select dough/manual cycle.
• Do not use delay timer.
• Check dough consistency after 5 minutes of kneading, making adjustments if necessary.
• At the end of cycle, remove dough and follow shaping and baking insructions.
• Raising, Shaping and Baking: Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and turn to grease.
• Cover, let rise until dough until almost double.
• Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; punch down to remove bubbles.
• roll or pat into a 14-x7-inch rectangle, Starting with the shorter side, roll up tightly, pressing dough into a roll.
• Pinch edges and ends to seal.
• Place in greased 9-x-5-inch loaf pan.
• cover, let rise until indentation remains after touching, Brush loaf with slightly beaten egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water.
• sprinkle with sesame or Poppy seeds, bake in preheated 375 degree oven 30 to 40 minutes.
• Remove from pan; cool.