Cinnamon And Cranberry Challah Recipes

CINNAMON AND CRANBERRY CHALLAH

Steps:

• Stir warm water, yeast and sugar together in a small mixing bowl; let stand 10 minutes, until mixture foams.
• Whisk together 3 eggs, 1 egg white (reserve yolk), oil, salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Stir in yeast mixture and 5 1/4 cups flour until soft dough forms. Add sweetened dried cranberries and with floured hands, knead dough. Gradually add remaining 3/4 cup flour, knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• Lightly grease a large mixing bowl. Place dough in bowl and roll around so that it is lightly coated with oil. Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Punch down dough; divide in half. Each half will make one braided loaf. To make a single braid; divide half into 3 equal pieces. Roll each into a 14-inch rope. Braid dough and pinch ends to seal. Place on a greased baking sheet. Repeat steps with remaining dough.
• Cover shaped loaves and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Beat reserved egg yolk with 1 teaspoons water; brush loaves. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Place foil on tops of loaves if tops brown too quickly. Remove loaves to a wire rack and cool completely.

CINNAMON RAISIN SWIRL CHALLAH

Steps:

• Mixing and storing the dough: Mix the yeast, salt, eggs, honey, and melted butter (or oil) with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (no airtight) food container.
• Mix in the flour without kneading, using a spoon, a 14-cup capacity food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy duty stand mixer (with dough hook). If you're not using a machine, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.
• Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.
• The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 5 days. Beyond 5 days, freeze in 1-pound portions in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks. Defrost frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before using. Then allow the usual rest and rise time.
• On baking day, whisk the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl and set aside. Butter a loaf pan and set aside.
• Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-sized) piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.
• On a lightly floured surface, form the dough into a loaf shape. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 1/4 inch thick rectangle (as close as possible). Use just enough flour to prevent it from sticking. If the dough resists shaping, let it rest for 5 minutes and try again. Sprinkle the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture evenly all over the top of the rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Top with the raisins. Roll up the dough, jellyroll-style, starting at one of the short ends, being sure to seal the bare edges.
• Allow the bread to rest and rise, covered, in the loaf pan for 1 hour and 20 minutes (or just 40 minutes if you're using fresh, unrefrigerated dough).
• About 10-15 minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Brush the loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with the raw sugar.
• Bake near the center of the oven for about 25 minutes. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in baking time. The challah is done when golden brown and offers resistance to pressure. Due to the fat in the dough, challah will not form a hard, crackling crust.
• Remove the loaf from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.