Christmas Bread Almond Filled Challah Food

CHRISTMAS BREAD (ALMOND-FILLED CHALLAH)

Steps:

• Pour lukewarm (110oF) water into a small bowl. Add 1 teaspoon sugar and stir until dissolved. Sprinkle yeast over top. Do not stir. Let stand for 10 minutes, until mixture is foamy.
• Meanwhile, measure 3 cups flour into a large bowl. Using a fork, stir in 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp salt. Form a well in centre of mixture. Add eggs, oil and yeast mixture. Stir well, using a spoon, just until blended.
• Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead dough with floured hands. When dough becomes sticky, liberally sprinkle flour on kneading surface. Continue kneading until dough forms a smooth satiny ball, about 10 minutes. By this time, you will have incorporated most of flour, and dough should bounce back when pressed with your finger.
• Place dough in a large oiled bowl. Roll around inside of bowl until dough is completely covered with a light coating of oil. Cover bowl with a piece of oiled waxed paper, topped by a damp cloth. Let stand in a warm place, such as on top of the refrigerator, until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• In the meantime, prepare filling. In a small bowl, blend ground almonds and sugar. Stir in egg white, milk and almond extract until thoroughly blended.
• Set aside.
• Punch down dough. Cover and let rise again until double in size, about 45 minutes.
• Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Roll into long strands. Flatten each strand with rolling pin. Spread almond filling over each strand to 1/4 inch from sides. Roll back into long strands.
• Place strands on a lightly greased baking sheet. And braid loosely. Tuck in ends.* Cover with a damp cloth and let dough rise until doubled in size, about 45 more minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400oF. Whisk egg yolk with water. Brush loaf with beaten egg yolk. Bake in centre of preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes Place piece of foil paper over bread if browning too quickly.
• *You can also shape braid into a circle to form wreath and decorate with an icing sugar frosting, almonds and cherries.

ALMOND-FILLED BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tsp sugar in warm milk.
• Let stand 5-10 minutes or until foamy.
• Stir remaining sugar, butter or margarine, salt and egg into yeast mixture until blended.
• Stir in 2 cups flour until combined.
• Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough that comes away from side of bowl.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead in enough remaining flour to make a stiff dough.
• Knead 8-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
• Clean and grease bowl.
• Place dough in greased bowl, turning to coat all sides.
• Cover with a lightly damp towel.
• Let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• To make filling, in a small bowl, blend ground almonds and sugar.
• Stir in egg white, milk and almond extract until thoroughly blended.
• Set aside.
• Grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan.
• Punch down dough.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 12" x 9" rectangle.
• Spread almond mixture over dough to within 1/2 inch of edge.
• Sprinkle chopped cherries and raisins over almond mixture.
• Roll, jelly-roll style, starting at 1 short end.
• Pinch ends to seal.
• Place filled loaf, seam-side down, in greased pan.
• Cover with a dry towel; let rise until doubled in bulk.
• Preheat oven to 375degrees.
• Beat egg with milk to make glaze.
• Brush top of loaf with egg-yolk glaze.
• Bake in preheated oven 35-40 minutes or until top is deep golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped on bottom.
• Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack.
• To make icing, in a small bowl, stir powdered sugar and 1 tbsp water until smooth, adding more water if necessary.
• Spoon icing on top of loaf; decorate loaf with toasted almonds and cherry quarters.
• Let stand until icing is set.

CHALLAH

Steps:

• Put the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the salt and sugar to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Add the butter, the two beaten eggs and the milk. Add half the water. Mix with your hands. Continue to add the water, a little bit at a time until the dough releases from the sides of the bowl. You may not need all of the water. The dough should be soft but not soggy.
• Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5-10 minutes or until the surface of the dough is smooth and soft.
• Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl or container and cover lightly with a tea towel. Leave to rise until doubled in size -- at least one hour.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment or silicone mat.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and punch it down (this does not mean you actually punch it but fold in inwards repeatedly to release all the gases that have formed during fermentation). Divide it into 3 equal pieces (you should use a scale and each piece will weigh roughly 280g depending on how much water you used). Roll each piece to about 10 inches. This is where I strayed from Paul's instructions. His instructions state to roll out to about 9 inches but this produces a short fat loaf whereas the loaf should really end up about 16 inches long so you want to begin with longer strands.
• Join the three strands together at the top by basically squeezing them together. Then braid like you would hair: Strand 3 over 2, 1 over 2, 3 over 2, 1 over 2 and so on. See video.Tuck the ends underneath and transfer to baking sheet.
• Brush with remaining beaten egg. Put the tray inside a clean plastic bag (I use extra large storage bags with 2 mugs alongside the loaf to keep the bag from sticking to the dough). Preheat oven to to 400°F. Prove for one hour or until doubled in size.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or deep golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
• Save leftovers for French toast!