Shabbat Bread Recipes

SHABBAT CHALLAH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the water. Let stand for about 5 minutes to dissolve the yeast. Stir in the salt, sugar, oil and 4 eggs until well blended. Gradually mix in the flour. When the dough becomes too stiff to stir, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes. Place dough underneath the bowl to rise until double. Or, you can place the dough in the bowl, and cover with a towel.
• Punch down the dough, and divide into 6 or 8 even pieces depending on what shape you want. Remember to take a small piece off and make a blessing (Jewish law). Roll the pieces into ropes. Braid into two loaves, or one really big 6 piece braid - but only if your oven is large enough. Or, you can make the spiral shape challahs out of each rope. Tuck the ends under, and place on a baking sheet to rise until your finger leaves a small dent when you gently poke the bread.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Whisk together the remaining egg, water and vanilla sugar. Brush over the tops of the loaves. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bread is deep golden brown. Wrap the small piece of dough that was blessed in aluminum foil, and burn in the oven as an offering while the other loaves are baking.

SHABBAT BREAKFAST BREAD (KUBANEH)

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast over lukewarm water and add 1 teaspoon sugar.
• Leave for 10 minutes until yeast is foamy.
• In a mixing bowl, combine remaining sugar, salt, 5 tablespoons margarine, and boiling water.
• Stir until sugar and margarine is completely dissolved.
• Stir in yeast mixture.
• Add flour and mix with a wooden spoon until dough becomes difficult to stir.
• Knead in remaining flour.
• Knead dough vigorously on a lightly floured work surface, adding flour by tablespoons if necessary, until dough is very smooth but still soft, about 10 minutes.
• Put dough in a clean, oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until nearly doubled in volume.
• Punch down dough, knead it briefly in bowl, cover, and let rise again in a warm place for about 1 hour; or refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
• Generously rub a deep 2-quart baking dish with margarine or butter.
• Divide dough into 8 pieces.
• With a lightly oiled rolling pin, roll out one piece on a lightly oiled surface to a rectangle about 1/8 inch thick.
• Spread with about 2 teaspoons of butter or margarine.
• Roll up like a jelly roll.
• Flatten resulting roll by tapping it with your knuckles and spread it with about 1 teaspoon butter, then roll up a spiral and place it in baking dish so that spiral design faces up.
• Continue with remaining pieces of dough, placing them one next to the other and touching each other in dish.
• If any margarine or butter remains, put it in small pieces on top.
• Cover with greased paper or foil placed on surface of dough and with a tight lid.
• Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
• Bake 3 hours or until golden brown.
• Turn out onto a plate, then reverse onto another plate and put back into baking dish, so it is now upside down.
• Cover and bake another hour; or reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees and bake overnight.
• (Bread can be baked ahead and reheated in its covered baking dish for about 45 minutes in a 225 degree oven.) Serve warm.

CHALLAH SHABBAT/SHABBOS BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Into large bowl, measure 2 cups of the flour. Set aside. Into a blender jar,.
• Pour the water, yeast, and remaining cup of flour. Cover and blend at low speed. Uncover and continue blending while adding the oil, sugar, large egg, and salt. Blend until mixture is smooth.
• Pour batter over the reserved flour. Mix thoroughly with a spoon until a ball of dough forms. Place in a lightly greased bowl turning to grease all sides. Cover and let rise in a warm draft-free place for 1 ½ hours or until doubled in bulk. Stir down.
• Shape the dough into challas, braided or unbraided. To shape into 2 small braided challas, divide the dough in half. Divide each part into 3 equal parts. Roll each part into a long coil of even thickness. Pinch together the tops of all 3 pieces. Start to braid by taking the outer right strip and crossing it over the center strip, bringing it to the center. Then take the outer left strip and cross it over the middle strip, bringing it to the center.
• Repeat the procedure by alternately bringing the right strip to the center until all are braided. Pinch the ends together. Tuck the ends in carefully. Transfer the bread to a greased loaf pan, 9 5/8 x 5 ½ x 2 ¾ inches. Repeat with remaining dough. If you choose to make one large challah, use a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan.
• For a round challah, shape the dough round with your cupped hands. Place in greased 9-inch pan (round).
• Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Beat the remaining egg with the tablespoon of water just to blend. Brush the top of the breads with the egg wash. Sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds if desired. Bake for about 40 minutes, until breads are well browned and sound hollowed when tapped with knife handle or spoon. Remove to racks to cool.