Challah Bread
This rich and slightly sweet bread has a pillow soft interior. You can braid the bread in a straight row or wrap it around in a circle.
Servings: 0
Ingredients
- 1 pkg dry yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, more as needed
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup good quality honey
- 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 4 1/2 cups Manny's Choice Organic Flour
- 1 tsp poppy seeds, optional
Instructions
- Combine yeast, sugar and ½ cup warm water and let stand for about 5 minutes. Whisk in orange juice, olive oil, 2 eggs, honey and salt. Blend in mixer with dough hook adding about 1 cup of flour at a time to form smooth dough. Beat well after each addition. Beat on medium speed about 5 minutes. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead for about 2 minutes. The dough should be sticky to the touch.
- Place dough in lightly oiled large bowl. Cover dough with plastic wrap until doubled in volume, 1-2 hours. Punch down dough. Cover again and let rise another hour. Punch dough down again.
- Grease a 9-inch pie pan or baking sheet. Turn dough onto floured surface and divide into 4 equal portions. Roll each piece into ropes. Arrange ropes in a crisscross pattern and braid into a round. Place braided round in the pie pan or on the baking sheet. Whisk remaining egg, brush dough top and sides and let rise again until almost doubled, approximately 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush dough again with egg then sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake 30-40 minutes until golden and sounds hollow. Transfer to rack and cool completely.