Challah Recipe
A traditional sweet bread made with eggs and oil. The dough is intricately folded to create a loaf that's as beautiful as it is delicious to eat.
Servings 2 Loaves
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Bench scraper
Ingredients
- 10 grams active dried yeast (3.5tsp)
- 112 grams White Sugar (1 tbsp + ½ cup)
- 118 ml Vegetable oil (½ cup)
- 5 Large Eggs (4 for the dough, 1 for the egg wash)
- 18 grams Kosher Salt (1 tbsp)
- 960-1020 grams AP flour (8 to 8-½ cups)
- 340 ml Warm water (1-½ cups)
Instructions
Dough Instructions
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the warm water along with the yeast and 12 grams of sugar and mix with a whisk until yeast is dissolved.
- Whisk the oil into the yeast mixture. Next add the 4 eggs, one at a time, to the mixture.
- Add the remaining sugar and salt to the mixture and whisk until combined.
- Using the dough hook of your stand mixer, gradually add the flour into the mixture until a dough begins to form. You may not need to add all of the flour. Mix until the dough is smooth and not too sticky. (the dough should be tacky but not stick to your finger if you press it with your finger.)
- Grease a large bowl and transfer the dough to said bowl. Cover with cling film and leave to proof for one hour, or until doubled in size. After dough has doubled, punch down the dough and let rise for another 30 minutes.
Dough Shaping Instructions
- Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and divide in half. Take one half of the dough and divide into six equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a strand roughly 1 foot long and 1-½" in diameter.
- Place the 6 in a row, parallel to one another. Pinch the tops of the strands together. Move the right most strand all the way over to the left. Take the second strand from the left and move it all the way over to the right.
- Next take the leftmost strand and move it over two strands. Take the second from the right most strand and move it all the way back over to the left.
- Start this process over with the right most strand and repeat until fully braided. If making a straight loaf, tuck the ends underneath. If making a circular loaf, pinch the ends together.
- Repeat this process with the second half of the dough.
Second Proof & Baking
- Beat the remaining egg with a touch of salt and brush the top of both loaves with the egg wash.
- Proof for another hour or until nice and puffy.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and place oven rack in center of oven.
- Once loaves have finished their second proof, brush loaves again with egg wash.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Let loaves cool on wire rack before serving.