My (Mother's Best Friend's) Challah

Challah if you knead me or this bread 🍞

This is my go-to challah recipe which I got from my mother’s best friend from high school. It goes HARD on the eggs - both in the dough, and as a wash. The recipe calls for two separate egg washes which is what helps yield that perfect lacquered crust 👌🏻 And all the eggs inside? Well that’s just what makes this Challah.

Ingredients

• 2 packets of active dry yeast

• ⅔ cup of lukewarm water

• ⅓ cup of egg yolk (5-6 eggs)

• ⅓ cup of whole egg (2-3 eggs)

• 7 tablespoons of neutral oil

• ¼ cup of sugar

• 2 teaspoons of salt

• 4½ - 5 cups of all purpose flour

• 1 egg well beaten (for wash)

Instructions

In a large bowl soften yeast in water. Stir in egg yolks, whole eggs, oil, sugar and salt. Add enough flour to form a stiff, sticky dough.

Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

Place into a greased bowl and turn to grease top.

Let rise, covered, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

Punch down, knead again and divide dough into 4 pieces. Braid dough however you’d like and place on a greased cookie sheet.

Brush bread with egg wash and let rise, covered, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Brush again with egg wash.

Bake in a preheated moderate oven (375° F.) for 35-40 minutes, or until richly browned.

Cool thoroughly on a rack before slicing 🔪

xx

A