Ingredients:
Yeast Mixture:
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup water
Challah Mixture:
½ cup water
½ cup vegetable oil
⅓ cup sugar
Splash of vanilla
2 teaspoons salt
2 eggs
3 ½ to 4 ½ cups flour
Egg Wash:
1 egg
honey (optional)
cinnamon (optional)
Topping (Optional):
Za’atar
Sprinkles
Chocolate Chips
Sesame Seeds
Preparation:
Dissolve ½ cup warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.
To the yeast mixture, add oil, water, sugar, vanilla, salt, and eggs. Stir this mixture together.
Add first cup of flour and stir until combined. It may be lumpy, but that is okay.
Add second cup of flour and stir.
Add third cup of flour and begin to mix with hands.
Add fourth cup of flour and work into the dough. Begin to knead directly into your large bowl. The dough should not be too sticky and should not be too dry.
When completed, transfer kneaded dough to a different bowl that has been coated with vegetable oil so the dough does not stick.
Let the dough sit for 1-3 hours. If the dough rises over the bowl, it is okay.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
Once the dough has risen, punch the dough down and begin to separate into balls for making strands. Braid and place onto a cookie sheet that has been covered with parchment paper or silicone lining.
Let braided dough sit on the parchment paper to rise for 20 minutes or until double in size.
Bake the bread at 400 degrees fahrenheit for 10 minutes.
Once the dough begins to brown after 10 minutes, place foil over the bread so it does not burn, but continues to cook.
*From episode 7 of the Podcast Food Family Tradition.