Challah

=Challah=

Start this recipe about 3 in the afternoon on Friday, and you'll be ready to share it with your students before sundown.

Ingredients
1 package of yeast 5 cups of flour + 1 cup for kneading pinch salt 7 threads of saffron 3 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk 3 tablespoons honey 2 1/2 cups of milk poppy seeds and coarse salt butter or oil for cooking sheet and bowl

Directions
1. mix together the yeast, flour, and salt, along with saffron. 2. Add three eggs, break yolks, and mix. 3. add honey 4. add milk 5. stir until a rough ball of dough has formed. Take this from the bowl, and knead for 4-6 minutes on a lightly floured surface. 6. Oil bowl, and place kneaded dough in the bowl under cold damp towel for 40-60 minutes. 7. Remove dough from bowl, and divide into three lumps. Place under cold damp towel, and let rise 15 minutes. 8. Roll out the three dough lumps into long strands. Braid into loaf, and place on greased cookie sheet. Set oven for 375°F. Let rise for 15-20 minutes. Scramble 1 egg yolk, and brush onto bread surface to form a glaze. Sprinkle poppy seeds and coarse salt on top. 9. Place braided loaf into oven for 44-54 minutes. Cooking time varies based on oven airtightness & altitude; watch carefully from about 35 minutes onward. Loaf is cooked when bottom of bread sounds hollow.

I love making bread for my classes, and this is an easy recipe to make. Be aware: orthodox Jews will not eat challah prepared in a non-Kosher kitchen, and some Conservative Jews are also picky about this. The bread is still delicious even if prepared by a //goy// like me, though.