| Challah Bread | ||||
| Makes 3 mini loaves, 1 traditional braided load, or 12 muffins | ||||
| Ingredients | ||||
| 1/4 cup | water |
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| 1/4 cup | milk | |||
| 2 tsp | sugar | |||
| 2 pkgs | active dry yeast (or 4 1/2 tsp) | |||
| ________ | ||||
| 2 cups | bread flour | |||
| 3 tbls | butter, melted | |||
| 2 tbls | sugar | |||
| 1 tsp | salt | |||
| 2 | eggs | |||
| ________ | ||||
| 1 tbls | water | |||
| 1 tbls | poppy seeds (optional) | |||
| Directions | ||||
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In a measuring cup, combine the water, milk,
and sugar. Heat in the microwave for 20 seconds. Add the yeast to bloom.
Allow it to get foamy; it will take about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, get the
rest of the stuff going. In a mixer equipped with a beater, combine 1 cup of the bread flour, melted butter, sugar, salt, and the yeast mixture. Separate one of the eggs, add the white to the mixing bowl (save the yolk for brushing the top of the loaf later on). Add the whole other egg to the mixing bowl. Mix on medium for about 1 minute. Switch to the dough hook. Add the remaining cup of the bread flour a 1/2 cup at a time scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl before adding each helping. The dough will pull from the sides of the bowl and form a ball. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes. |
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| For Mini-Loaves | ||||
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Divide the dough into three equal parts,
knead a little more to form them into loaf shapes. Place the dough into
greased and floured mini loaf pans (or spray them with Baker’s Joy).
Place them in a warm place, cover them with a towel, and let them rise
for about 1 hour until doubled in bulk. Preheat the oven to 350°. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes to set up. Beat the reserved egg yolk with the water and brush the top of the loaf. I don't like the poppy seeds for my personal use; they're too messy. I only use them on the braid for show. Put the loaves back in the oven for an additional 10 minutes until the interior temperature is about 180°. Take them out, remove the loaves from the pans, and let them cool on a rack. |
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| For a Braided Loaf | ||||
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Divide the dough into three equal parts. On
a textured board (I like to put something like a shelf liner under it so
it doesn't move around on me) roll each piece out to about and 16" long
rope. Pinch together all 3 ends, braid them loosely, then pinch together
the other end to seal. Grease and flour a cookie sheet (or spray it with Baker’s Joy) and place the loaf on it diagonally (it will get big). Place it in a warm place, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise for about 1 hour until doubled in bulk. Preheat the oven to 350°. Beat the reserved egg yolk with the water and brush the top of the loaf. Sprinkle on the poppy seeds. Bake at 350° for 17 minutes until the internal temperature is about 180°. Take it out and slide the loaf onto a rack to cool. |
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| For Muffins | ||||
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Roll the dough out into a long rope then
divide it into 12 equal parts. Roll each piece in your hands to form a
ball. Place the dough into a greased and floured muffin pan or cookie
sheet (or spray them with Baker’s Joy). Lightly spray the tops with Pam,
place it in a warm place, and let it rise for about 1 hour until doubled
in bulk. Preheat the oven to 350°. Beat the reserved egg yolk with the water and brush the top of the muffins. Sprinkle on the poppy seeds. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes until the internal temperature is about 180°. Take it out, remove the muffins from the pan, and let them cool on a rack. |
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