Challah

1. Take 1 tbsp from measured ½ Cup of sugar and combine it with yeast and warm water (should be about same temperature as inside of wrist). Dissolve and let sit 10 minutes.

2. Put yeast mixture in bowl of stand mixer with the rest of the sugar, salt, and 3 ½ cups of flour. Mix well with a spoon.

3. Add 5 (or 6, if you like especially eggy challah) beaten eggs and oil to bowl, and slowly mix in remaining flour using a stand mixer with dough hook. Dough will be thick and somewhat sticky. Keep “kneading” with dough hook for about 10 minutes, until dough pulls fully away from sides of bowl. (it's ok if it sticks a bit on the bottom.) If dough is sticking to the side, add more flour, as needed.

4. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead by hand until smooth and springs back when pressed. (Sometimes this happens quickly; sometimes this can take 5-10 minutes).

5. Grease a bowl and add dough ball to it, turning the dough over so it gets lightly coated with oil.

6. Cover with parchment paper and then a towel and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours (like an oven set to “proof” or a warm place in the kitchen).

•THIS RISING CAN BE DONE OVERNIGHT IN THE FRIDGE. BRING TO ROOM TEMPERATURE BEFORE CONTINUING (which can take more than 5 hours).

7. Punch down dough (should have nearly doubled), give a quick knead, and let rise for another ½ hour.

8. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, to put prepared challahs on.

9. If using raisins for both loaves, knead them in now. Then divide dough in half.

•If using raisins for one loaf, divide dough in half and knead raisins into one half of the dough.

10. THE ELABORATE WAY: Form into 6-strand braided challah:

• Form 6 dough balls and roll each ball into fairly even sized strands (about 12” long).

• Place 6 strands in a row and pinch tops of all the strands together.

• Move RIGHT outside strand over 2 strands.

• Take 2nd strand from LEFT and move to far right.

• Take outside LEFT strand and move it over 2.

• Move 2nd strand from RIGHT over to the far left.

• Continue steps iii-vi until strands are used up (mostly) and tuck in bottom of braided loaf.

• For straight loaf, keep as is. For round (holiday) loaf, twist into circle, pinching ends together.

11. THE SIMPLER WAY to a round challah:

• Form 6 dough balls and roll each ball into fairly even sized strands (about 12” long).

• Place 3 strands perpendicular to each other and weave them together.

• Take the ends and braid them (3 strand standard braid). Fold ends under to form a round shape.

12. Transfer formed loaves to prepared baking sheets.

[Decide if you will freeze or bake challah now.]

13. If baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees and beat last egg to use for egg wash. Thoroughly brush on first egg wash and let rise another hour.

14. If freezing, wrap well, and then allow at least 5 hours to bring dough back to room temperature. Once at room temperature, beat an egg for the egg wash, brush the dough thoroughly with it and let rise an hour.

15. Brush well again with egg wash, and then add seeds, if desired.

16. Bake in middle of oven 30-40 minutes, or until golden. Cool on rack. If you are not sure if the challah is baked through, you can test it with an instant-read thermometer (should be at least 190 degrees F). If the challah is looking too dark too quickly, cover with foil so that it doesn't get browner but continues to bake.