Challah Bread
I have wonderful memories of my mother making this bread. Whenever I make it, I think of her. It is a simple egg bread, in many ways, but the braiding makes it look so pretty. You can bake the bread in loaf pans, or on baking sheets. Both look great.
This is one of my favorite sandwich breads, but I also like it for French toast. Challah makes great bread pudding.
Challah
2 c. hot water
1 T. each sugar, salt and oil
1 package active dry yeast
¼ c. warm water
About 8 cups flour
2 beaten eggs
Poppy or sesame seeds, optional
In large bowl combine hot water, salt, sugar and oil. Dissolve yeast in warm water in small bowl and add to oil/water mix. Stir in 1 cup of the flour and eggs, reserving 2 tablespoons of the eggs for later. Gradually stir in enough of the flour to make soft dough. When dough pulls away from sides of bowl remove to floured surface. Knead dough, adding flour as necessary about 8-10 minutes. Dough should be smooth and elastic. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to grease top, cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll three of the pieces into 12- inch ropes. Place in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Take one of the remaining pieces of dough and divide into thirds. Roll the pieces into 3-nine inch ropes and place on top of the braid already in the pan. Repeat with remaining dough and cover. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush loaves with reserved eggs and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, if desired. Bake 40-45 minutes. When done loaves will be nicely browned and sound hollow when tapped. Makes 2 loaves.
Note: Bread dough can also be placed on greased baking sheets instead of in loaf pans. The result will be longer and flatter loaves. I think they are very pretty.
Challah Rolls
Challah Rolls
When I needed hamburger buns for a dinner I decided to use the recipe for my Challah bread and just reshape them into rolls. These rolls are crusty on the outside and tender inside. They can be used for burgers, sandwiches or as dinner rolls. The recipe makes 24, but you can make them even bigger, if you like. Because the are lightly brushed with an egg wash they also have a pretty shine to them. If you never made your own hamburger buns before you might want to try them. They really aren’t that difficult and taste so good.
Challah Rolls
2 c. hot water
1 T. each sugar, salt and oil
1 package active dry yeast
¼ c. warm water
About 8 cups flour
2 beaten eggs
Poppy or sesame seeds, optional
In large bowl combine hot water, salt, sugar and oil. Dissolve yeast in warm water in small bowl and add to oil/water mix. Stir in 1 cup of the flour and eggs, reserving 2 tablespoons of the eggs for later. Gradually stir in enough of the flour to make soft dough. When dough pulls away from sides of bowl remove to floured surface. Knead dough, adding flour as necessary about 8-10 minutes. Dough should be smooth and elastic. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to grease top, cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down and divide into 2 equal pieces. Divide each piece into 12 equal pieces- 8 if you want bigger rolls. Depending on the size you cut the dough you will end up with 16-24 pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and place on a lightly greased baking sheet- leaving a couple of inches between the rolls. You will probably need 2 baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover with a towel and let dough rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush rolls with reserved eggs and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, if desired. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. When done, rolls will be nicely browned and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Makes 16-24 rolls.
