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EGG BREAD (CHALLAH) RECIPE #1
Jewish bread makers have traditionally baked challah, a type of egg bread with a thin, hard crust and a soft, well-leavened center. It is made by wrapping plaits of dough and then lightly baking them in an oven. The secrets to good challah are simple: Use two coats of egg wash to get that laquer-like crust and do not overbake it. Three dough risings always makes for the tastiest loaves, even better if one of them is slowed down in the fridge.
Ingredients:
1-1/2 packages active dry yeast (1-1/2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the bowl
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon salt
8 to 8-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup raisins per challah, if using, plumped in hot water and drained
Poppy or sesame seeds for sprinkling
Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water.
2. Whisk oil into yeast, then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, with remaining sugar and salt. Gradually add flour. When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading. (You can also use a mixer with a dough hook for both mixing and kneading, but be careful if using a standard size KitchenAid – it is a bit much for it, though it can be done.)
3. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. Dough may also rise in an oven that has been warmed to 150 degrees then turned off. Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour.
4. At this point, you can knead the raisins into the challah, if you are using them, before forming the loaves. To make a 6-braid challah, either straight or circular, take half the dough and form it into 6 balls. With your hands, roll each ball into a strand about 12 inches long and 1-1/2 inches wide. Place the 6 in a row, parallel to one another. Pinch the tops of the strands together. Move the outside right strand over 2 strands. Then take the second strand from the left and move it to the far right. Take the outside left strand and move it over 2. Move second strand from the right over to the far left. Start over with the outside right strand. Continue this until all strands are braided. For a straight loaf, tuck ends underneath. For a circular loaf, twist into a circle, pinching ends together. Make a second loaf the same way. Place braided loaves on a greased cookie sheet with at least 2 inches in between.
5. Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Either freeze breads or let rise another hour.
6. If baking immediately, preheat oven to 375°F and brush loaves again. Sprinkle bread with seeds, if using. If freezing, remove from freezer 5 hours before baking.
7. Bake in middle of oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. (If you have an instant read thermometer, you can take it out when it hits an internal temperature of 190 degrees.) Cool loaves on a rack.
Note: Any of the three risings can be done in the fridge for a few hours, for more deeply-developed flavor. When you are ready to work with it again, bring it back to room temperature before moving onto the next step.
Straight loaves of braided challah are eaten throughout the year – typically on the Sabbath – round challahs, often studded with raisins, are served for the New Year and the other High Holidays that follow.
Makes two loaves.
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BRAIDED EGG BREAD RECIPE #2
Ingredients:
2 (0.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water (110°F)
6 egg yolks
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 pinch salt
1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Stir in the yolks, 3 eggs, oil, sugar, and salt. Add about 3-1/2 cups of flour to make a sticky dough.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead with remaining flour until smooth and elastic, about 7 minutes. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn to oil the entire surface of the dough. Cover with a damp cloth. Place in a warm place until double in size, about 1-1/2 hours.
3. Punch down the dough, and divide into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 12 inches long. Braid the three strands together, and seal the ends. Place the bread on a greased cookie sheet. Beat the remaining 1 egg with a pinch of salt; brush onto bread. Let the bread rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush the bread with eggwash again.
5.Bake for 40 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.
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BRAIDED EGG BREAD RECIPE #3
Ingredients:
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110 to 115°F)
1-1/2 cups warm milk (110 to 115°F)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup butter, softened
7 to 7-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons water
Sesame seeds
Instructions:
Dissolve yeast in water. Add milk, sugar, salt, eggs, butter and 3-1/2 cups flour; mix well. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
On a floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in greased bowl; turn once to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
Punch down. Cover and let rise until almost doubled, about 30 minutes. Divide into six portions. On a floured surface, shape each into a 14-in.-long rope. For each loaf, braid three ropes together on greased baking sheet; pinch ends to seal. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 50 minutes.
Beat egg yolk and water; brush over loaves. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 375°F for 30-35 minutes.
Makes 2 loaves.
1 serving (1 slice) equals 135 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 32 mg cholesterol, 248 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein.
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BRAIDED EGG BREAD RECIPE #4
Ingredients:
3 to 3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 package regular or quick active dry yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons)
1 cup very warm water (120 to 130°F)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg
Butter or margarine, melted, if desired
Instructions:
1. In large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast. Add warm water and oil. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Add egg; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.
2. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. (At this point, dough can be refrigerated up to 24 hours.) Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place about 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
3. Grease bottom and sides of 9 x 5-inch or 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with shortening or spray with cooking spray. Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Flatten dough with hands or rolling pin into 18 x 9-inch rectangle. Roll up tightly, beginning at 9-inch side. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Pinch each end of roll to seal. Fold ends under loaf. Place loaf, seam side down, in pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap lightly sprayed with cooking spray and let rise in warm place about 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size.
4. Move oven rack to low position so that top of pan will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 375°F. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until loaf is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pan to wire rack. Brush loaf with butter; cool.
Note: If using self-rising flour, omit salt.
BRAIDING THE DOUGH
Make dough as directed in recipe. Lightly grease cookie sheet with shortening or spray with cooking spray. After pushing fist into dough, divide into 3 equal parts. Roll each part into 14-inch rope. Place ropes close together on cookie sheet. Braid ropes gently and loosely, starting in middle; do not stretch. Pinch ends; tuck ends under braid securely. Brush with vegetable oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 40 to 50 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. Heat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, mix 1 egg yolk and 2 tablespoons water; brush over braid. Sprinkle with poppy seed. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Note: Braid ropes gently and loosely, starting at the middle; do not stretch.
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BRIOCHE - FRENCH EGG BREAD RECIPE #5
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water (110°F)
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 cup butter, softened
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
Instructions:
1.In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2.In a large bowl, stir together the flour sugar and salt. Make a well in center of the bowl and mix in the eggs and yeast mixture. Beat well until the dough has pulled together, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and supple, about 8 minutes.
3.Flatten the dough and spread it with one third of the butter. Knead this well. Repeat this twice to incorporate the remaining butter. Allow the dough to rest for a few minutes between additions of butter. This process may take 20 minutes or so. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
4.Deflate the dough, cover and refrigerate until completely cool; about 30 minutes. At this point the dough can be left in the refrigerator for up to eight hours, in fact, the longer you leave it, the more workable it becomes.
5.Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into two equal pieces, form into loaves and place into two lightly greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pans. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 60 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F.
6.Bake in preheated oven about 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the loaves cool in the pans for 10 minutes before moving them to wire racks to completely cool.
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EASTER EGG BREAD RECIPE #6
Ingredients:
6 to 6-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1 to 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups milk
6 tablespoons butter, cubed
4 eggs
3 to 6 hard-cooked eggs
Vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cold water
Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, cardamom and salt. In a saucepan, heat milk and butter to 120 to 130°F. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add 3 eggs; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
2. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
3. Dye hard-cooked eggs; lightly rub with oil. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide dough into thirds. Shape each portion into a 24-in. rope.
4. Place ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; bring ends together to form a ring. Pinch ends to seal. Gently separate braided ropes and tuck dyed eggs into openings. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 20 minutes.
5. Beat water and remaining egg; gently brush over dough. Bake at 375°F for 28-32 or until golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool. Refrigerate leftovers.
Makes 1 loaf.
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RELATED RECIPE & INFORMATION LINKS
Wheat Foods Council: Information & Recipes
All Recipes: Egg Bread Recipes
Cooks.com: Bread Recipes
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EGG BREADS
CHALLAH
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