Challah Bread #SecretRecipeClub

Last week I stepped in for a bonus Secret Recipe club reveal, so I’m back today with my group!  In SRC, participants are secretly assigned another blog, search the recipes, make something amazing, & then reveal.  Interested in joining?  Click that link for all the info!

This month, I was assigned Dena’s blog, Oh! You Cook!  Dena shares amazingly delicious kosher recipes and is the author of the Everything Kosher Slowcooker Cookbook!

There were tons of recipes I wanted to try, like Brisket, but ultimately challah bread won me over!  I made challah once before, but this recipe was a bit different than the other, so I wanted to give it a try!  Plus, I wanted to try out a different braid this time!

This challah is soft, and rich and absolute perfection!  I’m pretty sure I could eat and entire loaf myself, however, most of this particular challah was used in another recipe.  But that’s a story for another day, stay tuned!  And thank you Dena for another amazing bread to add to my repertoire!

Recipe Notes:

-I allowed by dough to rise twice so the ropes would be more stable for braiding.  You can skip the second rise, but the braid may not come out quite as evenly.

Challah Bread

Adapted slightly from Oh! You Cook!

1 package (2 ¼ tsp) rapid rise/instant/bread machine yeast

4 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided

2 tsp salt

2 tbsp canola oil

2 eggs, divided

¼ cup honey

1 cup warm (110-115 degrees) water + 1 tbsp, divided

Separate 1 egg, placing the yolk and white into separate small bowls (you’ll need the white for the bread and the yolk for the egg wash).

Place 3 ½ cups flour, yeast, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk to combine.

Add the oil, whole egg, the egg white from the other egg, honey and water.  Stir on low with the paddle attachment until combined.

Switch to the dough hook, slowly add the flour, mixing on low until the dough is no longer sticky.  Knead with the dough hook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Lightly spray a large bowl with non stick spray.  Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat.  Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and place in a warm, draft free area to rise for 45 minutes (I used the proof setting on my oven).

Punch down the dough.  Cover again, and allow the dough to rise for another 45 minutes in the same warm, draft free area.

Punch down the dough a second time and divide the dough into 3, 4, or 6 equal pieces.  The bread pictured is a 4 strand braid (a 3 strand braid is done just like you would braid hair, and the 6 stranded braid can be seen on my previous challah post.  For more detailed descriptions, pictures of the process, or videos, just google “how to braid challah”)

Take each of the 4 pieces of dough and roll them into equal length ropes.  On one end, lightly press the 4 ends together.  Starting on one side, begin weaving in and over-under-over pattern.  Take the next available rope from the same side and weave over-under-over.  Repeat until all of the dough is braided/weaved.  Pinch together the ends, and tuck under slightly.  If desired, un-pinch the dough from the beginning and reweave, reversing the pattern (over-under-over, but from the other side) to make the weave even.

Carefully move the loaf to and ungreased baking sheet (lined with parchment of a silicone mat, if desired).  Cover loosely with a damp kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together the egg yolk and the remaining 1 tablespoon of water.  Use a pastry brush to gently cover the entire challah loaf.

Bake the in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden-brown.

Immediately remove the loaf to a wire rack and cool completely.

Makes 1 large loaf

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