Challah Bread
Servings 12
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water or milk
- 2 packages yeast
- 6-7 cups flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup oil
- 1 egg
Instructions
- In a large bowl or mixer, dissolve yeast in warm water or milk. Add sugar and salt and 3 cups of flour. Mix well. Add oil and egg and mix well. Add remaining flour and mix well. {dough will be a bit sticky}
- Place in a large greased bowl {not plastic} and put a warm, wet cloth over it {I use a tea towel, run through warm water and wrung out}. Place in oven. {you might need to warm the oven a bit before putting it in there...but don't leave the oven on while it rises!}. Let the dough rise until it reaches the top of the bowl - approx. 30-60 mins.
- Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Divide two of those pieces into thirds and roll all 6 pieces into 16" long ropes. Use 3 pieces each to make a braid, pinching at each end to seal. Divide remaining dough into 6 pieces and roll each into 17" long ropes. Again, use 3 pieces each to make 2 braids and place each braid on top of the thicker braid, tucking the ends of the top rope under the bottom rope.
- Cover and let rise {I just keep them on my stove top, but you could put them back in the oven} for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°. Bake bread for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush tops and sides with butter. Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight bag or container...that is, if there is anything left to store!