Challah

A slightly sweet, braided egg bread: King Arthur flour, sugar, eggs and oil, risen twice, glazed with egg yolk and baked at 350°F until golden. Makes 2 braided loaves.

From the recipe book of Sandra Mills, a Le Cordon Bleu-trained cook in our family.

• Prep 30 min
• Cook 25 min
• Rise 3 hr
• Total 3 hr 55 min
• Yield 2 braided loaves

Jump to: Ingredients | Instructions | Tips | Questions | Print recipe

Challah is the braided egg bread of the Jewish table, and this is Sandra Mills's recipe, written with the care of someone who has made it many times. The dough is very firm, sweetened with sugar and enriched with eggs and oil, and she notes that as you become familiar with it you can work in more flour, up to 5 1/2 cups.

After rising, the dough is divided and braided into two loaves, or shaped into a round loaf or a pan of rolls, and finished with an egg yolk glaze. It is done when it is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Warm an egg. Put one egg on the counter to come to room temperature.
2. Proof the yeast. Stir the 2 tablespoons of sugar into the warm water until dissolved, using a small bowl with a wide opening. Sprinkle the yeast over the surface of the water. Let stand until the yeast looks gray and sort of foamy.
3. Make a well. In a large bowl, pour in 4 1/2 cups of flour and stir in the 3/4 cup sugar. Make a well in the flour mixture.
4. Add the liquids. Beat the 2 eggs well with the vinegar and pour into the well. Pour the oil into the well, then the dissolved yeast.
5. Mix. Mix all the ingredients together with a wooden spoon. The dough should be very firm. As you become familiar with this recipe, you should be able to use more flour, up to 5 1/2 cups.
6. First rise. When the dough is together and forms a ball, remove it from the bowl. Lightly oil the bowl, put the dough back in and turn it until lightly coated. Cover or seal the bowl and let the dough rise until doubled, 2 hours or more.
7. Shape. Knead the dough to remove all the air bubbles. Divide it in half. Divide each half into 3 pieces, roll them into 3 long ropes and braid into a loaf. You can also use half the dough to make a round loaf or a pan of rolls.
8. Second rise. Cover and let the dough rise again until doubled in size.
9. Glaze and bake. Brush with the egg yolk mixed with a tablespoon of water. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for approximately 25 minutes, until golden brown. If you carefully turn a loaf over and tap on it, it will sound hollow.

Tips

• Sandra uses a Tupperware bowl with a sealing lid for the rise; any large bowl covered with plastic wrap works.
• To braid evenly, pinch the three ropes together at the top, braid loosely, and tuck both ends under.

Questions about this recipe

How do I know when challah is done?

It is golden brown, and when you carefully turn the loaf over and tap the bottom, it sounds hollow.

More breads and rolls

• One Egg Banana Bread
• Allison's Beer Bread
• Bessie's Corn Bread
• Sandy's Own Pecan Rolls
• Lemon Tea Bread
• Michaela's Date Nut Bread

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