Hi friends!
So today I have something special for you. For the last few weekends, I have been working towards baking the perfect bread. A bread so good it makes you wanna slap yo mama. Okay, okay, maybe the perfect mama slapping bread doesn’t exist. But this bread is pretty darn close. So without further ado, here is an easy recipe for challah bread.
What is Challah bread?
Challah bread is actually a Jewish bread that is typically used for celebrations like Jewish holidays or Shabbat. Some people even use the term braided bread. The bread is unlike any other. The special twist creates its unique look and compliments the delicious taste. This bread recipe is very simple; however, like most bread, it is very time-consuming. So next to a lot of patience, here is the list of ingredients you will need for your bread:
3 eggs. ½ cup honey.
1 tablespoon salt.
4 tablespoons vegetable oil.
1 tablespoon active dry yeast.
2 ½ cups warm water (110 degrees F).
8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I know it sounds scary, 8 cups!).
The simple recipe.
Step 1: First, in a large mixing bowl, pour in your 1 tablespoon of active dry yeast and your 2 ½ cups warm water at 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow these ingredients to sit in the bowl for 5-6 minutes.
Step 2: Next, add in your ½ cup honey, 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon of salt, and mix all together. I do not own an electric mixer, so I just used a wooden spoon.
Step 3: Add in your 8 cups of flour one by one, mixing the flour after each cup.
Step 4: Once the dough is too hard to mix with a wooden spoon or mixer, take the dough out of the bowl and put it on a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough continuously with your hand until no longer stiff or sticky. During this time, you can add flour little by little as needed.
Step 5: Cover your dough with a damp wet cloth for 1 1/2 hours.
Step 6: Once the dough has risen, flatten the dough by rolling or by punching (which is really fun) and separate it into two halves. Once separated, knead each half for 5-6 minutes, adding a little more flour as needed.
Step 7: Divide the two halves into thirds and roll each half into a rope, trying to make them all into a similar size and shape. Once in halves, take each one and lay them alongside each other.
Step 8: Start with your outside ropes and braid them into the middle rope, repeating this until your bread is braided to the end. Then gently flip over and braid the other side. Tuck the ends.
Step 9: Spray a nonstick spray onto a baking pan (I use avocado spray, but any spray is fine). Place the bread onto the pan and let it rise for one hour.
Step 10: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. The first time I made this bread, I burned it because I had it on 370 degrees, which was way too high. After preheating, use a beaten egg and brush coats of the egg over the bread.
Step 11: Finally, bake the bread for around 35-40 minutes or until hollow.
Step 12: Last step! Add the bread to a rack and allow it to cool for an hour. You are all ready to eat your bread!
Tell all your friends!
Well, there you have it, friends. It may seem like a ton of work, but this bread is so easy and yummy. Your tummy will thank you. My girls love it, and it’s a Sunday favorite in our little house. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your bread!
