Julian’s Challah
Servings 2 loaves
Equipment
- Two baking sheets
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
For challah
- 1¾ cups lukewarm water
- ½ cup honey, or a tablespoon or two more if you like sweeter challah
- 1 heaping tablespoon instant yeast
- ½ cup vegetable oil, plus more for greasing bowl
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 3 eggs plus two yolks
- 8½ cups unbleached flour, plus more for kneading
For egg wash
- 1 egg, gently beaten
Instructions
Prepare dough
- In a large bowl, gently whisk together lukewarm water, honey, and yeast.
- After combining, stir in oil and salt.
- Whisk in eggs and yolks, one at a time.
- Add flour incrementallly, stirring between additions, until you have a sticky dough.
Knead and first rising
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface.
- Knead well, adding flour as needed until the dough is mildly sticky, smooth, and elastic.
- Place dough in greased bowl and cover with clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
- Let rise in a warm place for one hour.
Punch down and second rising
- Punch down the dough. Cover it back up. Let it rise for 30 minutes more.
Braid
- Turn dough out onto a clean surface.
- Divide dough into 2 equal portions. Use one portion now, to make the first loaf. Repeat braiding steps below for second loaf.
- Braid, following the video or the written instructions below.
- Divide dough into 6 equal portions. Form into balls and set aside, covered.
- With your hands, roll each ball into a strand 12 inches long and 1 ½ inches wide.
- Place the 6 strands in a row, parallel to each other.
- Pinch the tops of the strands together.
- Move outside right strand over 2 strands.
- Move second strand from the left to far right.
- Move outside left strand over 2 strands.
- Move second strand from right over to far left.
- Start over with outside right strand.
- Continue until all strands are braided.
- Tuck ends underneath.
- Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and place one braided loaf on each baking sheet.
Brush and third rising
- Brush each loaf with ¼ of the egg wash.
- Let rise in a warm place for one more hour.
Bake
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Place loaves in oven and bake.
- After about 15 minutes, take loaves out, brush each with ½ or remaining egg wash, and return laoves to oven.
- Bake until the loaves are golden brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.