Recipes

Put warmed water in a bowl
add SAF yeast and 2 cups of the flour.

Mix well.

Beat well until smooth. Cover and let sponge for 15 minutes.

Stir down the dough, add honey, melted butter, salt and eggs.

Add more flour until dough pulls from the side of the mixing bowl and holds together. Knead by hand or with mixer until soft and springy 12-15 minutes by hand and 8-10 in mixer. (I use a Bosch, but have used a Kitchen Aid and it works fine) Dough should be moist, but not sticky.

Put in a bowl, (or cover mixing bowl) cover and let double. Punch down and divide in 2 balls. Each ball, divide into three portions and roll each third into snake ropes, about 12 inches long. Pinch dough at the top and braid all the way down pinching at bottom. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet . Repeat with second challah.

Place in a warmed oven (turn oven on to 150 ° and turn off) Let rise about 30 minutes. Gently brush loaves with egg and water glaze. Bake in 350 oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap it.

*Another way to braid is to cross the strands in the middle, and braid up and then down pinching ends and tucking under.

** Sometimes we put a smaller 3 braid on top, so the total of both loaves is 12 strands. Any way you do it, it tastes and looks great!

NOTES : Keep covered on the Sabbath table until time to eat. This makes great toast and french toast (if there is any left) the next day. Shabbat Shalom!