Lots of people have been asking me for my challah recipe recently.  I’ve tried countless recipes over the years, and honestly this is the easiest and tastiest one I’ve ever found.  My family likes it so much they have me make the challah every week.  Homemade is better than any store bought, from a grocery, bakery, or wherever.  My recipe is based on Recipezaar’s “The Best Bread Machine Challah”, which in turn is based on Susie Fishbein’s Kosher By Design – Picture-perfect food for the Holidays and every day.

My recipe calls for a bread machine, if you don’t have one (and I didn’t for the longest time), you can use your stand mixer with a dough hook.  If you don’t have one of those, you’ll have to knead by hand.  I’m assuming that you already know the basics of bread baking. 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 5 extra-large egg yolks (yes, the extra large eggs make a difference!)
• 1 1/8 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/3 cup oil
• 4 1/4 cups bread flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar or honey
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• sesame seeds or poppy seeds

Directions

Add the first 7 ingredients to your bread machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions, or in the order given combine them in a large bowl.  If using a bread machine, set it to the “dough” cycle and walk away until it is done.  Otherwise, use your mixer’s dough hook and allow to rise once then punch down before moving on to the next step.  If kneading by hand, knead everything until well combined, allow to rise for 1 hour, then punch down and knead again.

Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured board and divide in half.  Set one portion aside.  Divide into 4 equal portions and roll them out into snakes.  On a Silpat
pad or parchment paper lined cookie sheet, braid the 4 snakes together.  Repeat with the second portion.  Cover with a dish towel and allow to rise for 35 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350F. Brush the risen loaves with beaten egg, and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds.  Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.

Immediately remove loaves to a cooling rack.  Let them cool at least 20 minutes or you will burn your mouth!!!  (It’s difficult, I know).

Celebrate Shabbat!