Challah

Total Time: 2 hrs 35 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 3
• 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 6 -8 cups unbleached flour
• sesame seeds or poppy seed

Recipe

• 1 in a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water and let stand for 5 minutes.
• 2 while yeast dissolves, set aside 3 tablespoons of the beaten egg to use for the crust for later.
• 3 grease a cookie sheet with butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. set aside.
• 4 into the yeast/water bowl, beat in with a wire whisk the honey, butter, remaining eggs, salt and 2 cups of flour, gradually removing whisk and using hands to mix.
• 5 turn dough out onto floured surface and knead for 15-20 minutes until smooth, uniform and unsticky. place kneaded dough into a buttered bowl, cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk.
• 6 punch down risen dough and return it to floured surface. knead 5 minutes and then divide into thirds.
• 7 knead each third 5-10 minutes, gradually transforming it into a 1 1/2 inch diameter snake. line the three snakes up and let them rest for 10 minutes.
• 8 braid all three snakes, pressing in the ends and sealing them with water. place braided dough onto prepared cookie sheet and let it rise again until doubled.
• 9 brush top of dough braid with the reserved beaten egg and then sprinkle top with more sesame seeds or mixture of sesame, poppy and salt, if desired. bake at 375°f for about 30-40 minutes.