Challah Recipe For The Kitchen Aide

CHALLAH RECIPE FOR THE KITCHEN AIDE

Steps:

• Mix and proof (wait till starts to be bubbly) the first 3 ingredients in the mixer bowl.
• Add the rest of the ingredients.
• Mix on speed 2 for 5 minutes with dough hook.
• Place in greased bowl and let rise, covered in a warm spot until about double in bulk.
• Punch down, shape and place on greased baking sheet.
• Let rise again for about 1/2 hour.
• You may glaze with egg yolk and 1 Tbspn of water just before baking.
• Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes.

CHALLAH

Steps:

• Place the flour, salt, yeast, vegetable oil, and honey in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Using an instant-read thermometer, adjust the temperature of the water so that the combined temperatures of the flour and the liquid give a base temperature of 130 degrees if using a Cuisinart or KitchenAid or 150 degrees if using a Braun. Beat 2 of the eggs and add them to the liquid. With the machine running, pour all but 2 tablespoons of the liquid through the feed tube. Process for 30 seconds. If the dough seems too dry and is not forming a smooth ball, add the reserved liquid and process for 15 seconds more, for a total of 45 seconds. Stop the machine, and take the temperature of the dough with an instant-read thermometer, which should read between 75 degrees and 80 degrees. If the temperature is lower than 75 degrees, process the dough for an additional 5 seconds, up to twice more, until the dough reaches the desired temperature. If the temperature is higher than 80 degrees, remove the thermometer, scrape the dough from the food processor into an un-greased bowl, and refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes. Check the temperature of the dough after 5 minutes; it should be 80 degrees or cooler by that time.;
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it in a large ungreased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and ferment for 1 1/ 2 to 2 hours at room temperature, 70 to 72 degrees. The dough will have noticeably increased in volume and will be light and soft. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently flatten it with the palms of your hands, but do not punch out all of the air bubbles that have formed as the dough has fermented. Form the dough into a loose ball; lift up one edge and fold it into the center. Do this about 4 or 5 times until the dough is formed into a ball. Return it to the bowl, cover, and let proof at room temperature until it doubles in bulk, about 1 to 1 1/ 2 hours. One hour before baking, put the oven rack on the second shelf from the bottom of the oven and place the baking stone on the rack. Place a pan on the bottom of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a dough scraper or kitchen knife, divide it into 2 pieces. Form each piece into a log shape to be rolled like a baguette. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. To form the dough into round turban shapes, roll one piece into a strip about 14 inches long. Taper the dough so that it is noticeable thicker at one end; use both hands to roll the dough into a point on the other end. Starting with the thicker end, coil the dough so that it forms a tight spiral. Wrap it around, then tuck the thin end under the loaf to keep it from unraveling. With the palms of your hands, press the top of the loaf lightly to flatten it slightly, then transfer it to one corner of a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Place it diagonally across from the first loaf spaced about 2 inches so the loaves do not stick together as they bake. Cover with a towel and let proof for about 45 minutes at room temperature. The loaves will be visibly puffed and will increase in volume by at least half. Just before baking, beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush each loaf with the egg wash, then sprinkle the loaves with poppy seeds or sesame seeds. Carefully pour about 1 cup of warm water into the pan in the oven. Immediately slide the baking sheet of dough onto the baking stone in the oven and turn the heat down to 400 degrees. Bake for 2 minutes, then quickly open the oven door and add another 1-cup warm water to the pan in the oven. Continue baking the bread for another 30 minutes. Check to see if it is browning too quickly. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees if necessary, then continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes. The bread is done when golden brown. Insert an instant-read thermometer into it, and if the internal temperature is 205 degrees to 210 degrees, the bread is done. Remove the bread from the oven and place the loaves on a wire rack to cool completely before cutting and storing.;

MOST AMAZING CHALLAH

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast over the water in a large bowl, and stir gently to moisten the yeast. Stir in salt, sugar, margarine, and 4 eggs, and beat well. Gradually mix in the flour, 1 cup at a time, up to 12 cups, until the dough becomes slightly tacky but not wet. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Grease baking sheets, or line them with parchment paper and set aside.
• Cut the bread dough into 4 equal-sized pieces (or 2 pieces to make 2 large loaves). Cut each piece into thirds for 3-strand braided loaves. Working on a floured surface, roll the small dough pieces into ropes about the thickness of your thumb and about 12 inches long. Ropes should be fatter in the middle and thinner at the ends. Pinch 3 ropes together at the top and braid them. Starting with the strand to the right, move it to the left over the middle strand (that strand becomes the new middle strand.) Take the strand farthest to the left, and move it over the new middle strand. Continue braiding, alternating sides each time, until the loaf is braided, and pinch the ends together and fold them underneath for a neat look. Repeat for the remaining loaves.
• Place the loaves onto the prepared baking sheets, and let rise until double in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Whisk 1 egg with vanilla extract in a small bowl, and brush the loaves with the egg wash. Sprinkle each loaf with about 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops are shiny and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool before slicing.

CHALLAH I (BRAIDED EGG BREAD)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1/2 cup water in bowl of mixer. Sprinkle yeast over water and mix,let stand 10 minutes until foamy.
• Add the next 6 ingredients to mixing bowl. Mix with dough hook for 6 minutes. Dough should be a little sticky.
• Place in oiled bowl, cover and let rise in warm place until double in bulk.
• Punch down dough. Let rise again until double in bulk.
• Punch down again. Divide dough into 3 equal parts.
• Roll dough into three long strands. Braid the strands, tucking ends under. Cover with towel and let double in bulk.
• Brush with beaten egg yolk. Sprinkle with seeds. Bake at 400 F for approximately 30 minutes, until golden brown. The challah is done when it sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom.

SY'S CHALLAH

Steps:

• Place sugar, salt, and oil in either a mixing bowl for an electric mixer with a dough hook or any large bowl. Add hot water, and stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Stir in yeast, and let stand until mixture gets foamy. Add slightly beaten eggs.
• If using an electric mixer, add 4 1/2 cups of flour to the yeast mixture. Mix until flour is mixed in, and dough gets stringy. This stringiness indicates that the gluten has developed. Continue to add flour until dough is all on dough hook; 1 or 2 cups is usually sufficient. Let hook continue to knead for several minutes. Dough should be smooth and elastic. To knead by hand, stir 4 1/2 cups of flour in to the yeast mixture. Turn soft dough onto lightly floured surface, and work in 1 to 2 cups of flour. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Place dough into a greased bowl, and turn several times to coat the surface. Cover bowl with a damp cloth. Let dough rise until doubled in bulk. Punch down after first rising, and allow to rise a second time. The first rising is about 1 hour, the second about 45 minutes. Two risings makes for a better bread, but if time is a problem just do one.
• Divide dough in half, and divide each half into three or four equal parts. Make two braids, and place both breads on a greased baking sheet. Cover, and allow to rise until doubled. Brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with poppy seeds, if desired.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 minutes until golden brown. Allow loaves to cool on a wire rack.