Mirjs Ultra Rich Sweet Challah Recipes

DECADENT CHALLAH BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve the honey in the water in a large mixing bowl, and stir in the yeast. Set the mixture aside until the yeast forms a creamy layer on top, about 15 minutes. Stir in the salt, 2/3 cup of olive oil, and beaten eggs. Add the flour 1 cup at a time until the dough is slightly tacky, but not sticky wet.
• Turn it out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Lightly oil a bowl, place the dough in the bowl, turn the dough over a few times to oil the surface, then let rise until doubled in a warm, draft-free place, about 90 minutes.
• To make the loaves, punch down the dough, and cut it into 2 equal-sized pieces. Cut the first piece into 4 equal parts. Set the second piece aside under a cloth to prevent drying out while you braid the first loaf.
• To braid the first 4-strand loaf, roll the 4 pieces of dough into thin ropes about the width of your thumb, and about 14 inches long. Make the tops and bottoms of each rope thinner than the middle area. Pinch the tops of the 4 ropes together, and fan the 4 ropes out so they don't touch.
• To make an "under-2, over-1 braid," take the left-most rope, and move it to the right to cross underneath the next 2 ropes, then move it left to cross back over the strand immediately to its left. Take the far right strand, and move it to the left and cross it under the two strands to its left (they are already crossed from the previous braid); then move it right to cross back over the strand immediately to its right. Repeat until the 4 strands are braided together all the way to the end, and pinch the ends tightly together. Repeat the steps to braid the second loaf, and let the braided loaves rise for 1 hour.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Make a glaze by whisking together the milk, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the egg white, and the sugar in a bowl. Brush the braided loaves with the glaze, to make a shiny crust, and bake the loaves on the prepared baking sheets in the preheated oven until they are light golden brown, about 30 minutes.

SWEET CHALLAH

Steps:

• Mix the yeast, 1/3 cup of sugar, and warm water together in a large bowl, stir to dissolve the sugar, and let the mixture stand until a creamy layer forms on top, about 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cups of flour to make a loose sponge.
• In a separate bowl, beat 4 eggs, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 1 cup of sugar together, and stir the egg mixture into the yeast-flour mixture until well combined. Continue mixing in flour, 1 cup at a time, up to 9 total cups. Dough should be slightly sticky, but not so wet that it leaves dough stuck to your hands.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead for 5 minutes to develop gluten. Form the dough into a compact round shape, and place in an oiled bowl. Turn the dough over several times in the bowl to oil the surface of the dough, cover the bowl with a cloth, and let rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough and knead for another 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
• Grease baking sheets, or line with parchment paper. To make egg glaze, whisk together 1 egg, 1 teaspoon oil, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon of water in a small bowl, and refrigerate until needed.
• Cut the dough into 4 pieces, and cut each piece into 3 smaller pieces for a 3-strand braided loaf. Working on a floured surface, roll the small dough pieces into ropes about the thickness of your thumb and about 12 inches long. Ropes should be fatter in the middle and thinner at the ends. Pinch 3 ropes together at the top and braid them. Starting with the strand to the right, move it to the left over the middle strand (that strand becomes the new middle strand.) Take the strand farthest to the left, and move it over the new middle strand. Continue braiding, alternating sides each time, until the loaf is braided, and pinch the ends together and fold them underneath for a neat look. Place the loaves onto the prepared baking sheets, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes. Brush a coating of egg glaze onto the tops of the bread, and reserve the remaining glaze.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake the bread in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, remove from the oven, and brush another coating of glaze onto the bread. Return to the oven, and bake until the tops are shiny and golden brown, 5 to 10 more minutes. Let cool before cutting.

MIRJ'S ULTRA-RICH SWEET CHALLAH

Steps:

• In the bowl of your mixer, or in large bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, eggs, salt and vanilla.
• Mix it around a bit.
• Melt the margarine, or heat the oil a bit in the microwave.
• Add it to the stuff in the bowl and start mixing.
• Toss in the yeast, keep mixing.
• If you are using an electric mixer, go slowly.
• If you are kneading by hand, you should get a good workout.
• Heat the soy milk until it's warm.
• It should not be boiling hot!
• Slowly, with the mixer running, add the soy milk a little bit at a time, until the dough has reached the consistency of bread dough.
• It shouldn't be cakey and it shouldn't be too sticky.
• Knead the dough in the mixer for about 7-8 minutes, or by hand for about 15 minutes.
• Place the bowl in a warm spot and let the dough rise until doubled in bulk.
• Hint: if you put the bowl of dough in the microwave and nuke it on high for 10 seconds it will speed up the rising process.
• You can also let it rise overnight in the fridge, just keep it in a knotted plastic bag so it doesn't"escape".
• When the dough has risen and doubled, punch it down.
• It's a very satisfying step!
• Knead the dough by hand for another minute or so to work out the air bubbles.
• Cut into three even pieces.
• Each piece is enough for one small loaf of challah.
• Cut each piece into three or four, roll into ropes and braid.
• The best braids are made by starting in the middle and working your way to the end, then turn it around and braid the other end.
• Pinch off the ends.
• After you have shaped your loaf (you can also swirl it, or braid and swirl it, or just shape it into a natural loaf shape), place it either in a greased loaf pan, cake pan, or just on a greased cookie sheet.
• If you bake your loaf on a sheet it will spread a bit as it rises again.
• If you put your braided loaf into a loaf tin, it will just rise upwards.
• I have also made round challahs by putting them into bundt pans, or fluted round cake pans.
• Let the shaped loaves rise for another half an hour.
• You can brush a little beaten egg on the tops for a glaze, I prefer my challahs"naked".
• Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C (about 350 F).
• Bake the loaves for about 30-40 minutes.
• Time will vary based on the shape of your loaves and the pans they are in.
• If the tops start to brown too soon, just place a sheet of silver foil over them, resting lightly on the tops.
• The challah is done when you turn out the loaf, give it a knock-knock on the bottom and it sounds hollow.
• Let it cool.
• If this recipe makes too much for you, you can either freeze the dough, or the baked challahs.
• Best eaten with sweet butter, also makes the most amazing French toast.