Water Challah I Recipes

WATER CHALLAH

Steps:

• Proof yeast by taking 3 cups of luke warm (should feel pleasantly warm on wrist and be about 105-110F; if too hot it will kill the yeast) in a 4 or more cup measuring cup and add 4 Tbs. of instant yeast and 2 Tbs. of sugar. Mix a little. When it reaches the top of the 4 cup mark it is done.
• Meanwhile mix bread flour and salt. [For Rosh Hashannah I add the anise seeds.] Add oil and proofed yeast and water. Knead until smooth, adding flour if dough is too sticky or warm water if too stiff.
• Oil a large mixing bowl. Place dough in bowl, turning once to coat. Cover loosely with a damp towel and allow to rise until doubled (time depends upon warmth of house but with this much yeast maybe as little as 30 minutes to 1 hour).
• When doubled punch down, knead gently folding over. [Now is a good time to separate the challah for the bracha.] Divide into halves, quarters, or eighths depending on size of loaf or smaller for rolls. Shape in braids, discs, rounds, etc. as preferred. Place on greased cookie sheets or whatever shape pan preferred. Cover loosely with towel and allow to rise another hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush each loaf with beaten egg if desired. [If using discs for Rosh Hashannah: use a sharp blade to cut a tic-tac-toe grid on each disc.] Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds if desired.
• Bake 30 minutes or until golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove and cool on racks.

WATER CHALLAH I

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in 2 cups of water, then let sit for 15 minutes until frothy. In the meantime, whisk flour and salt to combine. Gradually add the flour and salt mixture to the yeast, about ½ cup at a time, constantly mixing as you add. Once too dense to stir, knead by hand just until gathered into a ball. The dough should be moist and soft, so if it's too hard at this point, add ½ cup of warm water. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured working surface and knead for 5-7 minutes, adding more flour to prevent sticking, until the dough stiffs up a bit, but is still elastic.
• Place the dough in a bowl greased with olive oil, turning it over, so it is oiled all over. Cover with cling film and keep in a warm place for about 1½ hours until doubled in size. Punch the dough with your fist to deflate it, then cover the bowl with cling film again, and place it in a warm place, but this time for 45 minutes, until doubled in size.
• Once 45 minutes have passed, place the dough onto a floured working surface Divide the dough in half, then divide each half into three pieces. Form the pieces of dough into 12-15-inch long strands. Braid two three-strand challah loaves.
• Place the loaves on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Let them sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes to rise.
• In the meantime, put the oven rack in the middle position, and set the oven to preheat to 500°F.
• Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 400°F and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
• Place the baked challah loaves on the wire rack to cool, then serve.

MY FAVORITE CHALLAH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water.
• Whisk oil into yeast, then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, with remaining sugar and salt. Gradually add flour. When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading. (You can also use a mixer with a dough hook for both mixing and kneading.)
• Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. Dough may also rise in an oven that has been warmed to 150 degrees then turned off. Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour.
• To make a 6-braid challah, either straight or circular, take half the dough and form it into 6 balls. With your hands, roll each ball into a strand about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Place the 6 in a row, parallel to one another. Pinch the tops of the strands together. Move the outside right strand over 2 strands. Then take the second strand from the left and move it to the far right. Take the outside left strand and move it over 2. Move second strand from the right over to the far left. Start over with the outside right strand. Continue this until all strands are braided. For a straight loaf, tuck ends underneath. For a circular loaf, twist into a circle, pinching ends together. Make a second loaf the same way. Place braided loaves on a greased cookie sheet with at least 2 inches in between.
• Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Either freeze breads or let rise another hour.
• If baking immediately, preheat oven to 375 degrees and brush loaves again. If freezing, remove from freezer 5 hours before baking. Then dip your index finger in the egg wash, then into poppy or sesame seeds and then onto a mound of bread. Continue until bread is decorated with seeds.
• Bake in middle of oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden. Cool loaves on a rack.