Moms Challah Second Version Food

MOM'S CHALLAH, SECOND VERSION

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup water and set aside. It will soon start bubbling.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, 2 cups of water, oil and salt. Mix.
• Add the eggs and the yeast mixture and mix well.
• Add 4 cups of flour, and mix well again. Add the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead knead knead. (If you are doing this in a mixer, just knead in the mixer.) When it is smooth and elastic, it is done. You may need to add a little extra flour or water to get it to that earlobe consistency. You can add the raisins here if you'd like.
• Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let it rise until doubled in size.
• Punch down, knead another few minutes, and return to the bowl for another rising.
• Divide into thirds (by cutting with a knife; don't pull), and shape into loaves.
• Heat oven to 350°F
• Place each loaf in a prepared pan or on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with the egg/water mixture, and sprinkle with seeds if you wish.
• Bake for about 45 minutes. When done, the loaves will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

HEALTHFUL CHALLAH

Steps:

• Place first 3 ingredients in a small measuring cup. Allow yeast to become frothy, 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix flours, salt, and Stevia in a mixer using the dough hook or stir by hand. Add all remaining wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Pour in yeast mixture and kneed for 10 minutes. The dough will be very sticky. When smooth in texture, no lumps, turn off mixer and remove dough hook from bowl or place dough in lightly greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise for 1 hour.
• After 1 hour, dust top of dough with flour and punch dough to release air. turn dough out onto floured surface and cut into quarters. Roll 3 of the pieces of dough into ropes. Braid together and place on greased baking sheet. Cut remaining dough into 3rds and make 3 more ropes. Braid these together and place on top of larger braid. Allow loaf to rise for 45 minutes.
• 20 minutes before baking time (25 minutes into second rising), preheat oven to 325'F. 5 minutes before baking time, brush egg wash over loaf. (To make egg wash, combine equal parts egg yolk and water and mix together). Sprinkle loaf with sesame seeds and bake for 27-32 minutes .
• **Once cooled, store in zipped plastic bag. Because there is less oil, this bread drys quickly when left out. The bag keeps it perfectly moist.

MOM'S CHALLAH

Steps:

• Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk yeast and water to fully dissolve yeast. Add sugar, orange juice, salt, melted butter, and 2 eggs, and whisk to combine. Then add raisins and flour. Attach a dough hook and mix on low speed just until the dough comes together and is not sticky. Mix an additional 2 minutes, the last 15 seconds on medium speed.
• Turn dough onto a work surface and knead a few times to bring it together, then place in a large buttered bowl. Place plastic wrap over dough, making sure to lightly tuck the plastic around the sides of the dough. Allow dough to rise until doubled in size, about 60-90 minutes.
• The dough is ready when you can press your finger into the dough and it holds the indentation. Gently move the dough onto your work surface in one piece. Cut the dough into thirds and, without deflating the dough too much, roll each piece into a strand about 10 inches long. Lay the strands out parallel to each other, and pinch them together at one end. Pull the rightmost strand over the center one, then the left over the new center, alternating until you have a tightly finished braid and can pinch the end together. At this point, you can wrap the braid around itself to form a "turban" and seal the ends together. If it doesn't look right, just unbraid and try again! Place challah on a parchment-lined baking tray and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Whisk the remaining egg with 2 tablespoons water in a bowl. Glaze the top and sides of the challah with this egg wash, then bake 35-45 minutes.
• To test if the challah is fully cooked, tap on its bottom-it should sound hollow. Let cool 30 minutes. Serve. (And remember, if you're eating it fresh, tear it apart with your hands!)