Bread Day - Challah

I got to go visit back home this last week and see my new niece for the first time. She's SO SMALL! While I was at my parents I made Challah, and my other sister-in-law was really excited. She really likes bread and certainly had her fill. She's got a baby comin' in a little over a month. Pretty excited for that one, too. Anyway, being home I had access to Dad's camera, which is one hekuva step up from my cell phone, so I got some nicer pictures this time.

This picture came from the book Baking Artisan Bread, you'll find more on the book in the labels.

CHALLAH
Origins: This is a Jewish ceremonial bread used to celebrate the Sabbath. The braids in the traditionally separated the bread into 12 sections that represented the 12 tribes of Israel. Characteristics: Braided, light, fluffy.
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 4 1/2 hrs total Prep 10 - 15 minutes; Fermenting, shaping and proofing 3 1/2 hrs; 20 - 35 minutes baking.
4 cups unbleached bread flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/3 tsp instant yeast
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 large egg yolks, slightly beaten
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp water, room temp.
2 egg whites, whisked until frothy
Sesame or poppy seeds for garnish

Bowl 1: Combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Bowl 2: Whisk oil, eggs, egg yolks and water. Pour mixture from bowl 2 into bowl 1 and mix with a spoon until everything forms a ball. (I just start kneading when I get tired of mixing, and the ball only really forms when you're using an electric mixer.) Add more water if you need to.

Knead the dough on a flour dusted surface for about 10 minutes. The dough should be soft and supple, but not sticky, common theme in bread dough. When properly kneaded it should pass the windowpane test. Form into a boule (ball) place in an oiled bowl, coating the dough thoroughly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it ferment at room temperature for an hour.

Take out the dough, knead for about 2 minutes to degas. Re-form the dough into a boule and replace it into the bowl, covering with plastic wrap to again ferment for another hour.

It should grow to at least 1 1/2 its size. Divide the dough into 2 parts, one 1/3 the size and the other 2/3. Divide each again into 3 parts. Form each piece into a boule and cover them with a towel to sit for 10 minutes. Take the large boules and roll each into a strand, fatter in the middle and tapered off at the ends (mine didn't do that so well. I'm not so great at that yet). Braid the strands together. Do the same to the smaller boules and place on top of the larger braid. Press down lightly to make them attach, it does only so much, but it's better than nothing.

Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and place the braided loaf onto the sheet. Brush the loaf with the egg wash the spray with oil. Cover with plastic wrap loose enough for the dough to rise 1 1/2 times larger. Allow about an hour to do so.

Have the oven ready at 325 F with the oven rack on the mid shelf. Brush with the egg wash again and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 20 minutes, rotate 180 degrees and bake for another 20 to 45 minutes. By the way, the loaf gets HUGE! The bread should get to a lovely golden brown. Just to make sure, insert a thermometer. It should read 190 F.

Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for an hour before consuming. (That's part of the recipe. I disagree. Bread, especially this one, should be eaten warm, and oh it is so good.)

With bread,
~Chad