Description
Golden brown, fluffy, and wonderfully light. Challah bread is perfect not only day of, but second day Challah makes the BEST French Toast. Recipe at KathleensCravings.com
Scale
Ingredients
- 1 packet instant dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoon)
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 4 to 4/13 cups all purpose flour (plus additional for kneading)
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar (plus additional pinch to add to yeast)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3 eggs (2 whole, and 1 separated (you will use both yolk and egg white))
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used canola oil, but any neutral-flavored oil will do)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the lukewarm water and add a pinch of sugar. Stir together and let stand. The yeast should form a frothy layer across the top. This means your yeast is good to go.
- While the yeast is sitting, whisk together 4 cups of flour, the sugar, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer or a large mixing bowl if doing things by hand.
- Make a well in the flour mixture and add the 2 whole eggs, 1 egg yolk, and the oil. Mix these 3 things together with a fork (it’s okay if a little flour gets pulled in).
- Pour the yeast over the egg and oil mixture. Mix all ingredients with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until you form a shaggy dough.
- Using the dough hook attachment on your stand mixer, knead the dough for 6 to 9 minutes on low speed. You may need to add additional flour (a tablespoon at a time) if the dough seems overly sticky. If you’re doing this the old fashioned way, knead on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes (we call this our workout for the day). The dough is done kneading when it is soft, smooth, just slightly tacky, and holds a ball shape.
- Place the ball of dough in a oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot for 1 1/2 to 2 hours to rise. The dough should at least double in size.
- Separate the dough into 3 equal pieces (or 6 if you want to do a fancy braid or make two smaller loaves). Roll each piece of dough into a long rope about one inch thick. If the ropes keep shrinking as you roll, then set that piece aside to rest for a few minutes before rolling again.
- Braid the dough ropes and squeeze the three tips of the ropes at the top and bottom of the braid.
Let the bread rise one more time on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Sprinkle the braid with a little flour and cover with a tea towel and let rise for about 1 hour in a warm spot.
- When the dough is almost done rising, preheat the oven to 350° F. Whisk the egg white with about a tablespoon of water and brush all over the challah braid.
- Bake the challah for 30-35 minutes. The bread will be deeply browned and measure 190 F on an instant-read thermometer. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
For my warm spot to rise, I preheat my oven to a low temp (about 200° F) then I place the dough in the oven, turn off the oven, and leave the oven door cracked.
- Category: Sides
- Cuisine: American