Oat And Honey Challah Bread Recipes

HONEY OATMEAL BREAD II

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine boiling water, oats, 1/2 cup honey, butter and salt. Let stand for 1 hour.
• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• Pour the yeast mixture into the oat mixture. Add 2 cups of flour; mix well. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 20 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and form into loaves. Place the loaves into two lightly greased 9x5 inch loaf pans. Cover the loaves with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove loaves from pans, brush tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons honey and sprinkle with oats.

OAT & HONEY APPLE CHALLAH

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine 3/8c warm water with yeast. Let stand until yeast is dissolved and begins to bubble - about 5 minutes.
• Place the yeast mixture in a larger bowl. Add the additional water, oats, honey, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well.
• Gradually add the flours. Mix with a spoon until it becomes too unweildy. At that point - knead with your hands until all the flour is absorbed and the dough is no longer sticky.
• Place in a large, oiled (or cooking spray coated) bowl and place in a warm, moist, draft-free place to rise. Let rise until doubled - appx 1 hour.
• When the rise is almost over, prepare apple filling. Then put the apple filling on some paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Preheat the oven to 350.
• There are many different ways to prepare a holiday challah -- here's my personal favorite: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/560778/jewish/Weaving-Round-Challah.htm Or you can make a round coil. The number of rolls of dough you'll need to make will vary based on the shape you make.
• If you are using the link above, you will need four dough strands. If you are making a single coiled challah, you will need one dough strand. Do NOT make the strands long -- for the round from the link, each strand should be no more than twelve inches long. Once you have the correct number of strands, you'll need to flatten them with your hand or a rolling pin. Put the apple filling down the middle, and then pinch or roll the strand closed. It's OK if a few apple pieces pop out, but for the most part, you want them enclosed.
• Brush with egg wash and sprinkle turbinado sugar on top. The sugar will give it a nice, sparkly outer crust with a nice rich flavor.
• Place on stoneware cookie sheet, or regular cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, open up the oven & place a sheet of tin foil over the loaf to prevent excessive browning. Let bake for appx another 20-30 minutes (so 50-60 minutes TOTAL bake time).
• Cool on a cooling rack & ENJOY!

HONEY CHALLAH BREAD WITH CURRANTS

Steps:

• Combine water and sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the top. Set aside until foamy, about 8 minutes.
• Put 1 cup of the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Whisk honey with 1 of the whole eggs, the yolks, olive oil, and salt in a small bowl and pour into the well. Stir to combine. Add yeast mixture, remaining 3 cups flour, and currants and stir to make a soft, shaggy dough. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until soft and supple, about 10 minutes.
• Shape dough into a ball and place in lightly oiled large bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead for just a minute, shape into a ball and return to bowl. Cover and let rise again until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form loaf according to the following instructions: Turn dough onto a clean work surface and divide into 3 equal pieces. Roll and stretch each piece into a rope 12 to 15 inches long. Arrange ropes side by side on the work surface. Starting at the far end, braid the ropes. When the braid is finished, tuck both ends under and pinch to seal. Place loaf on prepared baking sheet.
• Cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel and set aside to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Beat remaining egg. Brush loaf with egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes.
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HONEY CHALLAH

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in 1 cup warm water. Separate two eggs; refrigerate two egg whites. Place remaining egg yolks and eggs in a large bowl. Add 2/3 cup honey, oil, salt, yeast mixture, 3 cups flour and remaining warm water; beat on medium speed 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky)., Pour boiling water over raisins in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Knead in raisins. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 1-1/2 hours., Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Divide one portion into six pieces. Roll each into a 16-in. rope. Place ropes parallel on a greased baking sheet; pinch ropes together at the top. , To braid, take the rope on the right and carry it over the two ropes beside it, then slip it under the middle rope and carry it over the last two ropes. Lay the rope down parallel to the other ropes; it is now on the far left side. Repeat these steps until you reach the end. As the braid moves to the left, you can pick up the loaf and re-center it on your work surface as needed. Pinch ends to seal and tuck under. For a fuller loaf, using your hands, push the ends of the loaf closer together. Repeat process with remaining dough. Cover with kitchen towels; let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, whisk remaining egg whites and honey with water; brush over loaves. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pans to a wire rack to cool.

HONEY WHOLE WHEAT CHALLAH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix yeast, warm water and 1 cup of bread flour into a thin batter, and let stand until the mixture shows frothy bubbles, about 10 minutes. Stir in vegetable oil, honey, 3 eggs, and salt until well combined. Beat in 2 more cups of bread flour and the whole wheat flour, alternating flours by cupfuls, until the dough is too stiff to stir in more flour.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding more flour if needed to form a slightly sticky dough. Form the dough into a round shape. Lightly oil a bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn the dough over a few times to oil the surface. Cover the bowl with a plastic bag, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.
• Punch down the dough, knead it a few times to remove some of the bubbles, and cut it into 3 equal-sized pieces. Cut the first piece into 3 equal parts. Set the rest of the dough aside under a cloth to prevent drying out while you braid the first loaf.
• 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 other 2 loaves, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and let rise until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Beat 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of water in a small bowl, and brush the egg mixture over the braided challah loaves. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops are a deep golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 40 minutes. Cool on a rack before slicing.